Aftermath Of A Stupid Mistake
by Sassyk1992ON2HIATUS
Summary: Sakura scanned the campsite quickly.'Three Fatalities' She thought as she looked at her dead teamates.'Two Missing' Shinobi surounded her.Sakura tightened her grip on her katana.'The mission has to be completed...even if I have to do it on my own' ItaSak
1. A Mission Gone Awry

******So at the moment I just can't seem to update the sequal to this "Traiter's Heart" SOOOOO I thought that I might just start editing this and maybe I'll get some ideas. Oh and for those who have already read this, I highly reccomend rereading the edited chapters I upload because there will be new scenes in some of the chappies. The only thing I don't like about this is that I think I'll lose all my reviews that I've worked so hard for. SO if you like the story please tell me. Thank you!**

* * *

**The Aftermath Of A Stupid Mistake**

_Chapter 1_

* * *

20 year old Sakura scanned the campsite quickly. 'Three Fatalities' She thought as she looked at her dead teamate. 'Two Missing' She looked around again but still couldn't find her other comrades. Shinobi surounded her. Sakura tightened her grip on her katana. _'The mission must be completed... even if I have to do it on my own.'_

* * *

**Five Hours Earlier**

_Sakura placed her ANBU mask on and ran towards Konoha's gates. There stood 5 ANBU. Shikamaru ANBU Captain and geniuse. Lee, The taijutsu specialist and lover of Haruno Sakura...or at least he wishes. Jin, A fierce man that was at least 10 years older then Sakura. Dirsky, He was around Sakura's age and was a master at weaponry. Then there was Rain. She was the youngest of the group. She wasn't even ANBU. Tsunade just needed another medic besides Sakura. But out of everyone in the group of shinobi Rain was the closest to Sakura. They worked together at the hospital and had become good friends._

_Sakura stopped in front of her team and greeted them with a wave. Shikamaru glanced her way and looked bored as usual._

_"Are you ready to go?" Shikamaru asked lazily to Sakura as he pulled his mask down to cover his scowl. _

_"Hai" She said and they left._

* * *

And now she stared down at Rain's lifeless body.

'_She didn't deserve to die' _Sakura thought as she held her katana tighter. But Sakura knew this would happen. She knew people were bound to die. She understood all too well that being a shinobi meant people around you were always going to die.... but that didn't mean it didn't still hurt. She then heard footsteps coming towards her. She looked up and saw a man in a Akatsuki robe.

He was rather tan and had long brown hair. His eyes were an odd color of purple.

She looked at his hand and saw he had a ring on his left middle finger.

_'He must be the one that replaced Kakuzu' _She thought. She had been trained well in knowing the Akatsuki and their strenghs. She knew about how they ranked themselves with their rings. She bent into a defensive position and glared at the man.

"What do you think your doing here ANBU?" The man sneered. She stayed silent. She was contemplating her next move. The man seemed to be rather hot headed and impatient....that was something that maybe she could use to her advantage. The man grinned and let his eyes roam over her body. She could tell he was assessing her strength and skill but didn't appreciate the glint in his eyes as he looked on at the more womanly parts of her body.

'_Perve' _She thought disgustingly.

"You should answer an Akatsuki. We might not kill you if you cooperate a little" He spoke as he leered at her. Something about him just made her feel like she needed a bath...especially with the way he was looking at her. Sakura gritted her teeth.

"Bite me" And in one swift second he was behind her. He angled his kunai right at her throat and held her still. "Don't tempt me" He said into her ear. His voice made her want to shiver but she held it back. The man pulled her hood down and cut her mask off with his kunai. Sakura stiffened. Her pink hair fell to her shoulders. She looked back at him with a glare

"Pink hair? What an odd color." He spoke as his fingers lightly brushed through her hair. She refrained from ripping his fingers off. '_Cool it Sakura, just be patient" _She said to herself.

The Akatsuki placed his kunia back against her neck.

"Your pretty strong I'll give you that. To make it this far with barely any wounds is pretty hard... but you end here." He whispered against her ear. She tightened her hold on her katana.

_'I've got to do this now' _She thought as she elbowed the man in the gut. He grunted but still held her.

"Fool" He yelled as he cut through her neck with his kunai but he hit nothing because she dissapeard. He looked astonished.

At the very beginning, she had created a shadow clone of herself. When the man had come behind her she also switched postions with her shadow clone. She had been much faster than he so he never noticed. She appeared behind him and swiftly lunged her katana into his back. He didn't even have time to scream for a second before he fell to the ground dead. She had hit him right in the heart.

Sakura breathed heavily and pulled her katana out of the Akatsuki's body. '_Is this all there is to Akatsuki? When I fought Sasori he was much stonger than this.....maybe they have gotten desperate for members and have lowered they're stanards' _She thought as she looked down at her enemy.

"Your pretty good...for a girl." A voice said. She turned around quickly and saw the sharkman Kisame.

Her eyes widened. '_Shit' _Sakura had heard many stories of the formidable Sharkmen from both her sensei's. They had always told her to be cautious when fighting him because he is very unpredictable.

"Kisame" She spoke. He walked towards her. She automaticly stepped was an Akatsuki she KNEW was strong. She also knew that she was no match for him. Especially against that chakra eating sword. _'Cool it. He has to have a weakness somewhere' _She tightened her grip on her katana. She bent her knees and raised her sword and pulled it back so it was next to her head.

"Do we know eachother?" He asked as he gave her a toothy grin. She stayed silent. He pulled out his sword. She stayed still and tried to look for any openings in his defense.

"You're pretty brave to be pointing your sword at me." He said as he smirked at her. He then suddenly swung his sword at her. Sakura dodged to the side and barely made it out of the way. The sword crashed into the ground, creating what felt like an earthquake to Sakura. '_Can he really have that much strength?' _She questioned but retrieved herself from her thoughts and ran towards the sharkman. He saw her coming and pulled his sword out of the ground and swung at her so fast that all she could do was block it with her katana. When his sword hit her's it pushed her to her knees. '_I think I might have underestimated him. He is strong...yes...but he's also terrifyingly quick. I definatly can't let my gaurd down with this him._

He smirked "You placed chakra in your sword so it wouldn't break...but don't you know? This sword absorbs chakra." He said. Sakura gritted her teeth as the sword drainded her chakra. She had known but it was the only defense she had. He pushed down harder on her and pushed her own sword into her shoulder cutting into it.

"Ahhh!" She screamed as her sword dug deeper and deeper into her shoulder. She clenched her hands around her katana and closed her eyes. She had to get out of this and she only had one shot. So she used almost all of chakra and placed it into her hands just to push him off of her. He fell back into the ground, surprised and not quite expecting her strength. She jumped away from him, fell to her knees and placed her hand on her now bleeding shoulder. She slowly gathered what little chakra she had left and started to heal it. Kisame got up slowly and raised his sword at her. "That was a neat trick.... but I can promise you it won't happen again." He spoke. She knew he was right. She barely had enough chakra left to heal herself let alone fight him. She raised her katana at him, still kneeling and prepared herself for what would most likely be her end. Kisame than began to walk towards her. She inhaled deeply and stood slowly, still holding her bleeding shoulder.

"Stop Kisame" A deep voice broke through the quiet. Sakura stiffened. She could hear the man walking behind her. Kisame stopped and looked past her to the man behind her.

"Why?"

"She might be of use to us" The deep voice spoke again, much closer than Sakura would have liked. She turned quickly and knew exactly who she was looking at. His likeness to his brother was remarkable.

_'..dammit....' _She looked him in the eyes and saw the Mangkeyo Sharingan.

"Itachi" She whispered

The Uchiha stared down at her blankly. He looked so hollow and void. Sakura immediatly stared at his feet knowing all to well the consequences of looking in his eyes. Her sensei's had told her to be cautious of Kisame but they said to run like hell if ever attacked but Itachi. She was scared out of her wits. He smirked noticing her terror.

"You know not to look in my eyes. Good" He said as he walked closer. She held her shoulder tightly.

"Whats your name, konoichi?" He asked. Sakura knew she should have given him a fake name but all common sense seemed to fly out the window the moment Itachi stepped onto the battle field.

"Haruno Sakura." She spoke, impressed that her voice sounded smooth and calm....unlike and her tumultuous insides.

"You're the apprentice of the Hokage, Are you not?" He asked not really looking like he actually cared.

She looked up at his face but not his eyes. "Yes" She spoke automaticly and then berated herself for revealing such a thing to an enemy. '_Idiot' _Itachi smirked.

_'I hate that smirk, its like he thinks he know everything.' _Sakura thought

"Seems your mission was a failure." He said as he looked at Rain's body. She gritted her teeth.

"There are still shinobi to finish the mission."Sakura spoke and realized her mistake again. '_I shouldn't be telling my enemy these things. And here I call myself a Shinobi' _He looked at her quite amused as her facial features changed so much that it was rather easy to figure what she was thinking.

"I see no one here that can save you" He said. "I don't need saving" She spoke angrily, letting loose her emotions.

"Forgive me then. So you are going to complete this mission on your own?" He spoke condescendingly.

She could tell he was amused at her. Sakura stayed silent, trying to reign in her anger. He looked at her mask that was on the ground. He bent and swiftly picked it up. Sakura nearly jumped at the sudden movement. If he noticed she would never know for his facial expression stayed neutrel.

He looked down at her mask held in his hands

"The Fox"

He looked her into the eyes and she couldn't look away in time. He had her.

Sakura could feel the fear take hold of her. She couldn't move. She knew she'd be dead soon. She was no match for him. He's stronger, faster, and smarter then her. By a flick of his wrist she'd be dead. And somehow she suddenly felt so cowardly because all she wanted was to live. She didn't even care about the mission anymore. All she wanted was to runaway. What an awful shinobi she was.

He frowned at her.

"Your very foolish" He spoke as he turned away from her letting his hold on her go. She relaxed and breathed in. She felt so weak right then. She knew that she was about to pass out any minute now.

"Bring them out" Itachi spoke suddenly. Two shinobi came walking out with a body in each of thier arms. As they walked closer Sakura saw it was Lee and Shikamaru. They were unconscious. Sakura's eyes widened and began to panic.

'_Dammt! What happened?' _

"What are you gonna do to them?" Sakura asked immediatly, her voice showed more fear than she wanted him to hear.

He turned and looked at her. "That all depends on you" He spoke softly

"Me?" She said. She didn't understand.

"We will return them to Konoha if you stay in thier place." He spoke.

_'A trade. But why me? What do I have to offer him?' _She thought. She gripped her shoulder tighter and looked at her feet. '_I just want to go home...' _She almost wanted to cry. She knew that if she decided to stay she would surely die once Itachi's use for her was done....but if she refused they would all die. And as much of a coward she was her love for her village and friends won meant more to her than anything.

She looked up at Itachi. Still not looking into his eyes.

"So you'll just let them go if I stay here with you?" She spoke softly.

"Yes" He said so matter of fact that Sakura almost didn't hesitate.

_'This IS my fault. And I know this is the right thing to do. But I wish I wouldn't always do the right thing.'_

"Well?" He spoke.

She nodded her head.

"Ok we have a deal"

"Take them back to Konoha" He said to the shinobi that held them. Sakura watched as they carried Lee and Shiamaru's beaten bodies away. Tears began to form in her eyes as she realized this was the last time she'll ever see them. She held them back not wanting to show her enemy who was so close her weaknesses.

_'This was not how the mission was suppose to go'_

* * *

_Sakura ran quickly behind Shikamaru. They had been running nonstop for 3 hours. Sakura knew they still had at least 4 hours till they got to thier destination. Sakura looked back at here teamates. They all seemed to be in good health except for Rain who looked very tired and was lagging a bit. Sakura looked back up at Shikamaru. It seemed he wasn't going to stop anytime soon._

_"Captain" She said._

_"What?" He said not looking at her and sounding rather unenthusiatic._

_"Ummm... I think its best if we take a break." She spoke. He looked at her._

_"We can't stop. We still have a goodways to go and we need to be there before nightfall." He said in a commanding voice. She almost thought about letting it go but knew Rain needed a break and she would never ask for one._

_"Well I need to go over the mission a little more and some of us are a little tired." She said nodded slightly at Rain who was far behind them. Shikamaru looked back out at Rain and noticed her fatigue. He sighed and looked back up. Sakura knew she had won._

_"Fine. 10 minutes" He said as he landed on a tree branch._

_"Thanks!" Sakura spoke cheerfully. "Just know that I'm not always gonna be this aggreabke Sakura" He said as he jumped to ther ground. She nodded as she also landed swiftly on the earth's floor. Everyone else landed next to her. Sakura walked over to a rather large tree and leaned against it. She pulled out her cantine, took off her mask and drank from her cantine. Shikamaru walked up to her. He had that lazy expresson on his face that Sakura knew all too well._

_"Your too nice." He said as he looked at Rain who was talking to Dirsky. Sakura grinned._

_"I geuss so" She said._

_"I will never understand you." Shikamaru said as he sat on a log lazily._

_"Whats there to understand?" She asked._

_"I've seen the way you act at the hospital. Your very understanding and gentle. You are always so lenient with the other medics. Its like your there mother." He said. Sakura tossed her cantine at him. He caught it and drank from it._

_"I'm not there mother. And Rain is only two years younger then me. But I do feel like she's my sister. She isn't as strong willed as the other shinobi. She doesn't believe she's remotely strong and she always thinks she's dissapointing everyone. She is a lot like how I use to be. So mabey thats why. I know how it feels and I dont want her to go through everything I had to go through." She spoke as she sat against the tree._

_"You know your only going to just get hurt again" He spoke as he looked at her cantine. _

_"I know....but I can't help it. Its what he would want, ya know?" She said sadly as she sat down also next to Shikamaru._

_"Ya...but I think he wouldn't have cared what you did. He was so in love that he was blind to your faults." He spoke as he stood. Sakura smiled. "Thanks....I geuss" _

_Everyone gathered around Shikamaru. Dirsky whispered something in Rain's ear and Rain giggled. Jin eyed them suspiciously. Lee sat down next to Sakura. _

_"Ok guys. You all know where were going. Well we have a spy in there hideout and he has sent word to us that he has very important information in a scroll for us. It will tell us all the Akatsuki's latest plan. This is a high priority mission. So we must proceed with extreme caution. We are to meet him right outside the hideout. Jin and Dirsky will meet him. While me and Lee are going to go around the back and make sure the area is secure. He then looked at Sakura._

_"Sakura, you and Rain are to back us up. So if anything goes wrong you'll be there to ambush the akatsuki. WE all need to be careful. One false move and we're dead. So don't mess up." He said._

_"Easier said then done." Jin spoke. Shikamaru sighed._

_"So this spy... why do we have to meet him? Why can't he just come to us?" Dirsky asked._

_"Well he still has things to do at the hideout and he can't really leave. They could kill him in a second. He doesn't stand a chance up against all of them." Shikamaru said as he placed his mask back on._

_"OK lets go." He said. Everyone was quiet until Sakura stood._

_"Ya lets do this" She said. Lee stood up quickly._

_"Sakura-chan! The fire of youth burns brightly within you! It is almost even greater then my own!" He said as he gave her his nice guy pose._

_"Lee shut up and put your mask on" She said playfully._

_"Hai" He put his mask on and jumped to a tree. Everyone else did the same. Except for Sakura and Rain. Rain caught Sakura's wrist._

_"I must have been slowing you down. Sorry" She spoke._

_"OH NO. I just asked if we could stop so we could go over the mission." Sakura lied rather badly. Rain raised an eyebow._

_"I mean, I couldn't even tell you were tired." Sakura lied again._

_"Uhuh sure." Rain said as she placed her mask on. Sakura did the same. Rain turned to look at Sakura._

_"Thank you Sakura-san" She said. Sakura sighed but smiled._

_"Your welcome" And they jumped together._


	2. Nothing Is Ever Fine

Itachi had wasted no time in getting Sakura into the Akatsuki base. He pulled her along the corridors so fast that she barely knew where she was going. It wasn't until Itach pushed her into a room that Sakura noticed her suroundings. The room was a dark beige color and looked rather bare except for the bed and desk that sat very dully. There were a few boxes under the bed but other than that the room was empty. There was no color whatsoever in the room and not one window. It felt like a prison. Sakura turned and looked back at Itachi and noticed his sharingan was off. It caught her off gaurd. Did he really think she was so weak that he coulde let down his defenses like that? This thought made her rather insulted.

"You'll stay here. You musn't leave ever unless I come for you. Break the rules and you die" He commanded. Sakura shuddered knowing he wounldn't break his word. He then pulled out her mask from his cloak.

_'When did he put that in there?' _Sakura thought. He looked at her.

"The fox is the trickiest and slyiest of all animals. It is also the most untrustworthy. For someone with such a great mask I would think they would be harder to capture. So tell me, how did you recieve such a mask?" He asked.

Sakura was suprised he knew so much about the mask. Masks were given to you based on your skills and personality. She always took great pride in having the fox. And it also held sentimental value because Naruto was the one that assigned her that mask. She sighed.

_'Naruto'_

"I asked you a question" Sakura jolted from her thoughts. She glared at him.

"You'll just have to wait and see" She spoke with a glare that had he been a lesser man he would have proberly backed away. But he wasn't.

He smirked.

"You should learn respect. It will get you farther in life" He said.

"Like I give a damn" She spoke as she looked away and crossed her arms. She knew she proberly looked like a child but she just didn't care.

"You are rather stubborn" He spoke as he placed the mask back in his cloak. She noticed this and looked back up at him.

"Why am I here? What do you want me for?" She asked still with her arms crossed.

"You'll find out soon enough. But for now I want you to heal and train the shinobi here." Sakura's eyes widened

"LIKE HELL I WILL! There is no way I'm gonna help the Akatsuki." She lashed out. Her arms flew out to give more expression to her anger. He grabbed her wrists tightly before she could attack him. Her eyes widened as he held her wrists in such a grip that was sure to leave bruises.

"You will do as your told. Or die" He spoke as he leaned in close.

"Then let me die." She said as she gritted her teeth. Her anger felt like it was coming off her in waves. Itachi looked at her like he was trying to understand something. For a glimpse of a second he looked like he felt something. What that was though Sakura didn't know. But it shocked her and she gasped slightly at his sudden slip of emotion. Itachi suddenly realized what he was doing and let go of her wrists.

_'Well now I'm dead' _She waited for him to kill her but it never came. He walked to the door and turned slightly to look at her.

"I'll be back" And he left just like that. She heard the door lock behind him and Sakura fell to her knees out of total exhaustion.

"Look at the mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Sakura"

She looked at her ankle. It was bleeding thoroughly. She hadn't noticed it earlier. She must have cut it when she had carried Rain and fallen. She pressed her hand over it and healed it swiftly with the last remaining chakra she had. She didn't have much chakra so it would be a mediocre healing. Once it was done she pulled her hand away and looked at it.

"Slight bruises, No infection, clean cut. It'll scar" She spoke in her medic voice. She looked at her arm where her Konoha headband was. It had been cut during the battle.

"Rain you were very stupid"

* * *

_"Area secured. There are no shinobi in the area." The captain said over the walkie talkie._

_"Have you seen the spy?" Sakura whispered into it._

_"No. He might have gone out the front way to where you are."_

_"We haven't seen anything" Sakura spoke._

_"We don't have much more time. They'll spot us eventually" He whispered. Sakura stayed silent. Rain took the walkie talkie from Sakura._

_"What should we do?"_

_"Get Dirsky to try and sneak in a bit closer."_

_Rain stiffened and almost dropped the walkie talkie if Sakura hadn't caught it._

_"Is he the only one that can do it?" Sakura asked trying to keep her voice even._

_"Yes. He is the best at hiding his chakra signature and much faster than any of us besides Lee." The captain spoke._

_"No" Rain whispered. Sakura sighed._

_"Alright we'll cover him. But what about Jin?" She asked._

_"Jin will follow behind him. So if there is trouble he can back him up" _

_Sakura turned slightly away from Rain so she could whisper without being heard be her. She pulled the walkie talkie close to her lips._

_"Shika, What if this is all a trap? What if the Akatsuki knew we were coming and killed the spy?" _

_There was a long pause. She knew he was thinking how likely the possibility was and that scared her. _

_"We have to at least try." He spoke not sounding so confident but Sakura chose to ignore it. She had to be strong....not for herself but for Rain._

_"Affirmitave" Sakura said before she turned off the walkie talkie. She looked at Rain. She looked like she had just seen a ghost. Sakura placed a hand on Rain's shoulder._

_"Dirsky is strong. He won't die" Sakura said. A small tear fell from Rain's eye._

_"But what if he does. What if he IS killed. I can't go on without him." Rain whipered trying to hold back the tears._

_'She is just like how I use to be. So convinced that love is all there is to life.' Sakura squeezed Rain's shoulder. Rain looked up at her._

_"Don't worry everything will be fine" Rain nodded and they ran to there positions._

* * *

But everything wouldn't be fine. Because of her stupid mistake.

Sakura sighed. Sakura walked towards the small bed and sat down. She took off her headband and looked at it.

"I miss you, Rain" She whispered. She missed everything. Now that she was here she would surely never see any of her friends again. She doubted she'd even live another day. She laid down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. She was rather confused as to why Itachi hadn't killed her already.

_'Itachi is someone I will never be able to understand. He destroyed his entire clan for power so that shows he has spychotic tendencies but today he seemed so very much like any other shinobi. I mean he never shows any kind of emotion so I will never know what he's thinking and he is ruthless and merciless killer. But aren't we all killers in the end? Still he is know for torturing Sasuke, so why did he let me live? After I refused to help him and even when I said to kill me? Maybe he is trying to lure me into a false sense of security so he can extract information from me.' _

Sakura thought long and hard until her thoughts put her to sleep.

But Sakura was awakened hours later when the door opened. Sakura sat up quickly, ready to attack whoever thought it was wise to try and sneak up on a Konoha konoichi only to see a young girl who only looked to be maybe seventeen or sixteen walk in. The girl was pretty but you couldn't tell because she was so dirty. Her brown hair was tied up in a bun and Sakura also noticed the girl had a plate of food in her hands. The girl set the plate and a pair of chopsticks on the bed in front of Sakura. The girl bowed.

"Forgive me for intruding but Itachi-sama asked me to bring you food." Her voice shook slightly and Sakura could tell she was quite afraid. "Who are you?" Sakura asked as she looked down at the plate. It was just rice and a apple and some grapes....but at the moment it looked like a feast. She hadn't eaten in thirty-six hours.

"I am just a humble maid. Please do not be angry with me. I am sorry the food is not warm" She said still with her head bowed

"Why would I be angry?" Sakura questioned as she picked up the pair of chopsticks and began to eat some of the rice. She was very hungry but was trying to mantain some of her manners and not just gobble the whole thing down like a slob so she wouldn't scare the poor girl off.

"Well miss, the men and guests here are never very forgiving to us servents" She spoke softly.

"I see and I'm a guest?" Sakura spoke inbetween mouthfuls of rice.

"Yes Itachi-sama said you were" The girl said as she looked up at Sakura. Sakura was gulped her mouthfull of rice. '_A guest?' _She looked up to the girl and decided to come back to that later and spoke.

"Well no need to be so formal. My name is Sakura. What is yours?" The girl's eyes sparkled slightly.

"My name is Machi, Sakura-sama." The girl spoke. Sakura smiled. Machi seemed to be surprised at the smile she was recieving and blushed slightly. Sakura thought it was charming how easily embarassed the girl was. It reminded her of Hinata.

"Well Machi I'm glad to meet you and so you know, I am as much of a prisoner as you are." Sakura said. The girl tilted her head slghtly and looked a bit confused.

"I do not understand. Itachi-sama said you were a guest." Machi spoke.

"Well I'm not. My life seems to be in his hands now, so I am at his mercy. If I could leave I would." Sakura spoke softly looking down at her food as she set her chopsticks down.

"I'm sorry" Machi whispered. Sakura looked up at her. "There is no reason for you to be apologizing! And don't worry. I can take care of myself. I am a shinobi of the leaf" She spoke trying to cheer the servant girl up. Machi glanced up at her looking mystified.

"You are a shinobi?" Machi asked in disbelief.

Sakura smiled. "Yep."

"Thats amazing. I never see any woman shinobi. You must be very strong" Machi spoke as she leaned forward slightly.

"Hmmmm. Well I geuss." Sakura spoke. Suddenly, Sakura noticed Machi staring at her head rather curiously. "What? What is there something on my face?" Sakura asked.

Machi hesitated but spoke. "Ummm Sakura-sama do you mnd if I ask a question?" She asked looking a bit nervous.

"Sure"

"Umm...well... is... is that your real hair color?" She flushed. Sakura laughed.

"Yes it is a strange color but it is my real hair color nontheless" Sakura said with a bright smile. Machi seeming to gather some courage smiled back at her. Then suddenly the door opened and Itachi stepped in. Machi turned quickly and bowed her head

"Itachi-sama" She spoke. Itach didn't even glance at Machi. He stared at Sakura rather rudely. Sakura glared back.

"Leave" Itachi said to Machi.

"Hai" She said as she ran out of the room. Sakura eyed Itachi suspisiously.

"What do you want?" She asked with a hateful expression. He grabbed her arm so swiftly that she didn't even have time to move away and pulled her off the bed easily. It angered her that she was in this position. She barely had any chakra and he knew it. He knew he could overcome her at any moment and didn't seem to reluctent to show it.

"Come with me" He spoke as he pulled her towards the door. She used what little strength she had and jerked out of his grasp. She was surprised she even managed to do it. But it seems Itachi hadn't expected it either with the wide eyed look-well as wided eyed as Itachi can be-he was giving her.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked trying to hold voice together and not let him see or hear the panic she felt at that very moment. He turned to her and gave her a contemplative look before proceeding to tell her.

"To our leader"

* * *

Itachi dragged Sakura down the halls roughly. Sakura tried her hardest to pull away but couldn't. His grip was just too tight and she didn't want to waste what little chakra she had on him when she was about to face Itachi's leader. Sakura sighed in defeat and followed him. She glanced at her surroundings. The hallways were dark and bare.

_'I haven't seen a window yet' _Sakura thought as she scanned the walls. She was a bit scared but of course who wouldn't be scared? She was about to meet the leader of Akatsuki. He must be a formidable shinobi if he is able to boss Uchiha Itachi around. Just thinking about it made Sakura nervous. What if they were planning to torture her for information? She knew she would die before she gave away any Konoha secrets but she still didn't like the outcome of dying. Itachi suddenly stopped, pulling Sakura from her thoughts. She almost ran into him but he reflexs seemed to still be working and managed to stop in time. Sakura peered over his shoulder to see a large wooden door. He turned and looked at her. His Mangakeyo Sharingan was on again and it sent a chill down Sakura's spine.

"If you cross him he will surely kill you" He spoke cautiously. It almost seemed like he was concerned for her but Sakura knew better. Itachi turned and opened the door slowly. Sakura looked through the doorway.

_'Its competely black. No way somebody is in there' _Sakura thought. Itachi stepped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened at the contact. "Remember what I said" He whispered into her ear right before he pushed her into the dark room. She stumbled slightly and looked back at Itachi. For once he didn't look so bad and she actually felt like she felt safer with him than she did in here.

"Go" He commanded. She looked away from him and walked in slowly. Just when she was in the middle of the room the door behind her shut. She turned swiftly but saw nothing but darkness.

_'Shit! ok ok... DON'T PANIC. DON'T PANIC' _Sakura ran to where she remembered the door to be and found the handle and shook it. But it wouldn't budge.

_'Damn' _Sakura looked around but it was really all in vain because she couldn't see anything. She sighed and sat on the ground and leaned her head against the door.

_'What am I gonna do now?' _She thought as she pulled her knees up close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"So you're the Hokage's apprentice" A voice spoke. Sakura looked up quickly. She looked around for the owner of the voice but found noone.

"Who are you?" She said as she stood quickly.

"I am the leader of the Akatsuki" The voice spoke. His voice sounded like it was coming from all sides of the room. Sakura shivered.

'_Great now I'm locked in a dark room WITH the leader of the Akatsuki' _

"What do you want from me?" Sakura asked. The voice chuckled.

"You aren't the one I want"

"Then who is?" She asked as she took a fighting stance. She knew full well that if it came down to a fight she would most certainly die.... but that wasn't going to stop her from trying.

"That is none of your concern at the moment. You should be more worried about yourself." Sakura stayed silent. She was trying to sense his chakra signature. She felt something faint behind her and tried to focus on it.

"You killed Sasori. You killed my newest member of Akatsuki, Gerin and you destroyed many other shinobi. You have been a thorn in my side for a while now"

"So what do you want from me?" She asked hesitantly as she kept focusing on the chakra. She just needed him to drop his guard.

"Repayment" The voice whispered menacingly.

Suddenly a chill went down her spine and she felt something breathing on her neck.

"You will work for us now" She felt the leader say against her ear. Sakura took a breath. Now was her chance.

"LIKE HELL I WILL" She yelled as she turned and kicked. She felt her foot graze something and could only assume that was the leader. Well she had at least come close. Thats more than she had actually expected.

"Lets see how strong you really are" She heard him say. Suddenly she felt the chakra signature right in front of her but before she could make a move something hit her mouth hard. She fell to her knees. Her hand went up to her mouth and she could feel blood in it. '_Great....I hope I don't lose any teeth.'_

"I thought you were the Hokage's apprentice?" He said with a snicker. Sakura placed her hands on the floor and pushed herself up slowly. She ached everywhere her body was finally beginning to realize the damage it had endured during the past thirty-six hours. Sakura wiped the blood from her mouth and stood defiantly. She closed her eyes and felt all around her. She suddenly felt chakra coming at her. She ducked and counter attacked with a punch. She hit air.

_'Danm. Missed' _She thought as she got back into her fighting stance."Seems you're a little good." She heard him say. Sakura gritted her teeth. She felt another burst of chakra and swiftly pushed her chakra into her heel and kicked at it. Her foot hit flesh.

_'Yes!' _But then something grabbed her foot and flipped her over. Her hands caught her fall but she still fell to the floor face down.

"Shit" She said aloud. A hand grabbed a fistfull of her hair and pulled her up by it. He started to hit her face. Fists of chakra came at her and she had no way of dodging so she took it. She wanted to fight him but her body just wouldn't listen. She had never felt so powerless before.

"It seems you're not as strong as you think you are" The leader said as he punched her again. Sakura felt blood dripping from her head and could feel her face going numb. She knew she didn't have anything left. He was too strong. And anything she did would just delay the inevitable. So she just closed her eyes and let it happen.

'_I'm gonna die. This is it.' _She thought sadly as she felt the life draining from her. '_I hope there is a heaven'_ She thought as she gave in to what she assumed would be the end but suddenly he let go of her. She fell face first on the floor. She laid on her stomach. She opened her eyes slowly. She saw the door open and watched the light shine in. She smiled slightly.

_'Mabey I'll finally get to die.' _She thought as she slowly lost conciousness. The last thing she heard was Itachi speaking softly.

"How very foolish" And everything went black.

* * *

"Five broken ribs. One broken arm" A woman's voice said.

"Sensei, how do you think they got here?"

"I don't know but-" Shikamaru opened his eyes and squinted at how bright the room was.

"Where am I?" He asked groggily. Tsunade and Shizune looked at him.

"You're in the hospital." Tsunade spoke softly.

"Where is my team?" He asked remembering the mission and all that happened. Tsunade marched up to his bed.

"I should be asking you that. We just found you and Lee dumped at the gates! Where is the rest of your team? What of the mission?! And WHERE IS SAKURA?" Tsunade shouted not at all caring for the sensitive hearing of other patients in the hospital. Shikamaru sat up quickly and looked around. Lee was asleep on a bed next to him. He looked back up at Tsunade

"You mean they aren't here?" He asked.

"NO!" Tsunade shouted. Shizune grabbed onto Tsunade to cool her off.

"But... I don't understand how I got here. One minute I was getting the crap kicked out of me and now I'm here? Why did they bring me back?" He asked himself as he Massaged his head.

"What of your other members. What of the mission?" Shizune asked. Shikamaru looked down at his lap and dropped his hand. He clenched his hands together.

"The mission was a failure. There was a anbush. And a stupid mistake was made and we were never able to get the scroll"

_'It had been her fault. She made the mistake' _He thought.

"And what of Sakura?" Shizune asked

"The last thing she said on the walkie talkie was that Dirsky was dead and that Rain had given away there position" Shikamaru placed his head in his hands and sagged out of exhaustion.

"Then they are dead?" Shizune asked.

"Yes, Jin and Dirsky are but Rain and Sakura I'm not sure about ." Shikamaru mumbled through his hands not bothering to look up. He was too ashamed of having another failed mission on his name....and to have so many lost.

"But why would they bring you here?" Tsunade asked.

"I don't know...they should have killed me-" He suddenly looked up as if realizing something "-...unless" Shizune looked at him

"Unless what?" She asked begging for an answer.

"Unless Sakura did something." He spoke slowly and evenly.

"It wouldn't surprise me, she will go to hell and back to protect her teamates." Tsunade said matter-of-factly.

"So you think Sakura got you back here?" Shizune asked.

"Possibly....but how I don't know. I mean who else but Sakura could find a way to get us back in one piece?" Shikamaru spoke finding his head clearing a little. Tsunade sighed.

"But at what cost?" Tsunade whisped. A long pause passed through all of them. They all knew the terrors of the Akatsuki and they never took prisoners. Would Sakura have offered information to save thier lives? No. Shikamaru knew she wouldn't she would die before that happened....so the question was, what did she offer that made the Akatsuki so willing to let them go?

Tsunade looked up at Shikamaru, looking more determined than ever.

"Alright, tell me everything"

* * *

Sakura woke slowly. She opened her eyes to see the room she was supposedly staying in. She sat up and could feel the pain swelling in her face. She placed a hand against her face and was going to heal it but stopped when she felt a presence in the room. She looked around quickly and saw a shadow leaning against the wall. The figure seemed to notice her notice him and walked towards her.

"You're awake" Itachi said.

"Thankyou for the obvious?" She hissed not really caring that Itachi could proberly break her with his pinky right now.

"He doesn't trust you. But He'll allow you to stay as long as you don't break the rules." Itachi said ignoring her last juvenile comment.

'_Great'_ She thought sarcasticly.

"You should heal yourself." He said as he turned and walked towards the door.

"Whatever" Sakura muttered as he left trying to sound nonchalant. When she was sure he was gone she placed her hand on her jaw and began to heal it.

* * *

The door opened and Machi came in. Sakura smiled at her.

"Hello Machi" She said.

"Hello Sakura-sama" Machi said as she gave Sakura her plate of food. Sakura ate the food slowly. Her mouth was still sore that it hurt to chew. '_What a pain'_

"So how long have I been asleep?" Sakura asked inbetween bites.

"About a day in a half Sakura-sama" Machi said politely.

"Wow. That long huh?" Sakura said as she ate.

"Yes"

They sat in silence for a while as Sakura ate. But Sakura didn't pressure Machi for conversation. She knew that if she wanted to speak she would and Sakura was so exhausted that she couldn't even think of something to say. So it worked out for the best. When Sakura had finished, Machi picked the plate up and began to walked towards the door.

"Your leaving?" Sakura asked. Machi stopped immediatly and turned.

"Hai. Itachi-sama said you needed your rest." She said with a smile.

'_Grhhh Itachi' _She thought childishly._**"**_Oh but you can stay" Sakura said. She really missed spending time wth people who weren't emotionally drained sociopaths who liked to torture little kids.

"I'm sorry but I also have to go help my little sister. She needs my help in the kitchen. Forgive me" Machi said as she bowed her head.

"Oh ok." Sakura said sadly but understood. Machi left quickly. Sakura sighed and fell against the bed.

"Its so boring here" Sakura thought to herself. She glared at the wall as if it had insulted her. '_Maybe this is how they kill they're intruders. By forcing them in a room with the ugliest wall paint ever and making them want to kill themselves out of sheer boredom.'_

She looked around the room slowly but when she glance at the door she noticed something. The door was still slightly ajar. She sat up quickly.

'_Machi must have forgot' _Sakura thought as she walked towards it and immediatly concealed her chakra. She opened it slightly and peaked through. She couldn't sense any chakra.

'_No one's there.' _She thought as she walked through the doorway slowly. She looked around. There were four doors in the hallway and then a and then a turn at the end of the hall. She tried to remember how Itachi brought her in.

_'I can't remeber which door I went through.... Think Sakura Think!' _She walked towards the one on the left quietly. She pressed her ear against it.

"But she is a medic-nin. And if you remember you completly killed all of our other medic-nin."

"Well how was I suppose to know that one little punch would kill the guy?"

"You must learn control Kisame-san.."

_'Kisame' _Sakura thought as she backed away from the door. Her eyes were wide.

'_I've got to get out of here!' _She panicked as she ran to the other door. But then she felt a presence of someone coming down the hall.

'_Shit' _

* * *

Deidara looked at the hostages door. It was open. He looked around but found noone.

"Where are you girl? Yeah" He said aloud not knowing she was right above him. At the last minute Sakura had jumped to the ceiling and used chakra to keep her there. Kisame possibly hearing Deidara came out of the room he had previously been in.

"What is it Deidara?" He asked not really looking like he cared as he lifted his sword onto his shoulder.

"It seems the girl escaped. Yeah" Deidara said as he looked thoroughly into her room.

"Should we call Itachi?" Kisame asked still standing out in the hallway.

Sakura felt the sweat dripping from her her forehead and could only pray it wouldn't drop as she held tightly to the walls.

As Deidara walked back into the halls and shut her door. He seemed to suddenlt realize somtheing and smirked.

"No, I've already found her" Deidara said as he pointed up at Sakura.

_'Damn' _She jumped and forced chakra into her foot and kicked Kisame in the shoulder and knocked him towards Deidara, making Kisame fall on top of him.

"That Bitch!"

"Get the hell off, Yeah!"

Sakura ignored they're yelling and ran towards another door and opened it only to see a man with an orange mask that swirled around one at eye looking down at her.

"Dammit!!" She shouted in frustration as she turned but man grabbed her arm. She spun around and punched him in the face with her chakra inputted fist. He quickly let go fell back clutching his mask. Sakura turned and ran back towards Kisame and Deidara. They had seemed to gotten off eachother and were glaring at the other. Deidara noticed her first.

"Oh look she is coming back. Yeah" Deidara said.

"Good cause I'm gonna kill her." Kisame shouted as he grinned toothily at her. He raised his sword onto his back. Sakura put chakra in her feet and jumped above them. Kisame swiftly grabbed her ankle and slammed her into the floor. The tile broke into pieces around her '_I'm gonna feel that in the morning' _ She thought as she slowly got up. Right when she looked up Kisame's fist came at her. His fist connected with her stomach and she flew back and slammed into the wall.

"AH!" She shouted in pain. She fell to her knees and coughed up blood.

"Hey you didn't kill the medic this time. Yeah" Deidara said. Tobi walked up to Deidara.

"She's stronger then the usual ones." The man with the mask said. Kisame walked towards Sakura tauntingly. Sakura staggered as she stood. Her body was wearing out quit.

_'He's too strong' _She thought as she wiped the blood away from her lip. He started to run towards her. She pushed chakra again into her feet and jumped over him quickly. He turned but Sakura for once apprehended him, she punched him in the gut with a fist full of chakra. He hit the wall and the building shook.

"She knows how to use her chakra" The masked man whispered. Kisame looked up at Sakura and breathed heavily. She barely had any chakra left. She knew now that she didn't have enough for an escape.

"It seems the little girl is better then you Kisame. yeah." Deidara called out to him, trying to get the better of him.

"Shutup!" Kisame shouted as he pulled out his sword. The masked man turned to Deidara whispered.

"This is quite amusing"

Sakura's eyes widened when Kisame pointed his sword towards her.

'_Great well now I'm definatly gonna die' _She thought as she prepeared herself for the blow. But suddenly all she could see was the Akatsuki cloak and black hair. She looked up at the man that stood in her way.

'_Itachi' _

"Kisame stop. I thought we agread you wouldn't kill her" Itachi said but seemed to be completely unconcerned. Kisame looked almost ashamed.

"Ya I know. But you better watch her cause next time I will kill her." Kisame said threateningly as he put his sword up.

"I haven't seen Kisame get hit in a long time." The masked man said.

"It must have wounded his pride. Yeah" Deidara snicked. Itachi turned and looked at Sakura. Even if if was the king of apathy. She knew someone about to blow up when she saw it. And Itachi was anything but happy.

"I told you to stay in your room" Itachi said. Sakura remained silent. He grabbed her arm roughly and pushed her back into her room. She fell to the floor barely catching her fall.

"If you try to escape again I won't stop Kisame from killing you next time." He said as he slammed the door. Sakura looked back around her cage and sighed.

_'Well....that went....well?'_


	3. History Repeats Itself

Rewritten: 2/23/10

Songs that inspired this chapter: Colorblind by Counting Crows, My Skin by Natalie Merchant, Shattered by Trading Yesterday

* * *

Sakura yawned very loudly. It had been two days since Sakura's failed escape.

The last two days had been painfully boring. Nothing happened. No one visited except for Machi who would always bring her meals. And she geussed it was more of a blessing really. For she didn't have to deal with Itachi. Itachi hadn't stepped one foot inside the room since her attempt escape. It was strange. She would have thought they would have used her for whatever reason they had by now. It was almost like they were trying to let her heal. Which she appreciated, but could only await in fear of what she needed to heal for. She looked at the door. She had been hearing whispering out there but nothing she could make out. There was the an occasional burst of a voice-which usually meant it was Kisame-but nothing ever entertaining or monumental. She sighed as she rolled onto her stomach and place her head on her hand.

_'I wonder if its lunch time yet' _She wondered.

The only enjoyment Sakura had was talking to Machi. She was the only human Sakura had any contact with in this god forsaken base and she enjoyed it very much. Machi, she found out was a very sweet and niave girl but yet had very serious trust issues. She had gone through deep emotional scars that Sakura could only geuss were haunting for Machi never spoke of it herself. She was shy but yet very daring at other times and she seemed to be a happy servent. Which seemed strange to Sakura. Because of who Machi was serving Sakura couldn't believe she could be anything but terrorfied for her life. But when Sakura had questioned her about this the other day, Machi simply smiled and said-  
"Itachi-sama is a much better master then any other Akatsuki I've ever served. He has never been rude to me nor asked me to do foolish things only for his own amusement. He doesn't abuse his servants.... many of the men here think we servants are here for thier enjoyment and do what they please with us-" Machi looked down slightly. Sakura could tell she was remembering something painful but kept silent as she continued. "-but Itachi-sama has never been cruel to me. And yes he may be a cold blooded killer but he has saved me from unnessesary pain and for that I am grateful. Even if that wasn't his intention" Machi spoke as she looked up at Sakura with a shine to her eyes that Sakura rarely saw. She was truly content living this dangerous life. For she has had worse. Sakura understood but thought how evil the other men must be for Itachi to be Machi's savior.

Sakura was pulled from her insights when the door opened suddenly.

"Hello!" Machi said as she walked with a smile. "Hello." Sakura said as she sat up.

Machi handed Sakura her food and sat on the ground in front of her. Machi sat very still looking at the ground almost like she was concentrating on what to say. Sakura noted her nervousness and tried to ease them.

"Machi, what is it? You can say anything." She spoke softly with a smile. Machi looked up at her looking rather reluctant to speak but did so anyways.

"I have a question to ask you" She spoke slowly.

Sakura sat patiently.

"Yes?"

Machi breathed in.

"Well I'd like to know how you got so strong. I have never heard of someone standing up to Kisame-sama and the woman here are so weak. I just have never seen a female shinobi before." Machi flushed.

Sakura laughed a bit. "Aye, the woman here are rather weak. I suppose they don't train women here. Well in my home village women are trained just as hard as the men. We are called koniochi" Sakura informed. She began to eat some of her food.

"Koniochi" Machi spoke softly.

"Oh and our Hokage is also female" Sakura said as the thought occered to her.

"Your Kage is a woman also? Then they allow women to rule? They let women have a say so?" Mach's eyes widened as she spoke.

"Yes yes. We are equal there." Sakura said as she took another bite of her food.

"It must be a wonderful place" Machi mused as she looked up at the ceiling.

Sakura lowered here head. "Sometimes it is" she spoke sadly. Machi noticed a quick change in the mood and didn't quite understand why Sakura looked so solemn but changed the subject slightly anyways.  
"Well if it doesn't offend you in anyway I would like to know all about your village!" Machi said excitedly. Sakura was broke from her reveire and smiled at her.

"Of course. Well you see my village is called Konoha and then there are shinobi that are called leaf ninjas. We are the village hidden in the leaves." Sakura spoke.

Machi looked so amazed. Sakura had to fight off a laugh. She didn't want to laugh at the poor girl but it suddenly felt like she was talking to a child.  
"Do you have any friends there?" Machi asked. Sakura's face blanked a little. Yes she did have friends but not many. She'd lost so many loved ones she didn't even want to think about the other people she had in her life just so she wouldn't remind herself how many others she could lose.

"Oh I am sorry I didn't mean to be rude!" Machi spoke when she noticed the sad look on Sakura's face. Sakura looked up at Machi and gave her a sad smile.

"Its alright. Its just...most of my friends are" Sakura was cut off when the door suddenly opened. Itachi walked in. Machi stood quickly and bowed her head.

"Itachi-san" She greeted. Itachi glanced at her and then looked at Sakura.

"Koniochi come with me" He spoke. Sakura glared defiantly at him. Machi stiffened at the tension between them.

"NO! You said that right before I got the crap beat out of me! I'm not going anywhere with you" Sakura shouted at him. There is no way she was gonna go with this guy.

Machi was stunned by Sakura. She had never seen someone stand up to Itachi-san. In fact she had never seen anyone even utter a single word at Itachi that didn't involve admiration or undue flattery. Machi almost felt compelled to stay but Itachi-san gave her a quick glance that told her she was not wanted here.

"Goodbye Sakura-san" Mach whispered as she quickly left. Sakura watched her go with mild frustration. '_Itachi just had to come in and ruin everything. I was finally connecting to her!'_

Itachi noted with mild interest the way the koniochi watched the servant girl leave, she seemed to care for her a great deal. He mentally filed it in his brain somewhere.

"You are with the Akatsuki now. You do as they do" Itachi said, breaking Sakura from her thoughts. She looked up at him.

"I never said I would join the Akatsuki. And I never will for that matter!" She seethed with passion that Itachi rarely saw in a woman so young. She looked very much like a woman scorned and had he been a lesser man he might have actually felt some semblence of fear.....but he wasn't. So as he grabbed her arm and pulled her off the bed he smirked slightly.

"Defiance will only lead to pain" He whispered so she only barely made out his words. Sakura stiffened slightly and her shock gave him the chance to begin to drag her out the door and into the hallways.

Sakura gritted her teeth. '_This sucks! He is proberly gonna take me back to thier leader so he can finish the job' _She thought as he took her down the hall and turned a left. They walked in silence as Sakura tried to assess how much damage she could do with what chakra she had if a fight was immenent.

Itachi opened a door only to reveal the world outside. Sakura squinted her eyes and raised her hand to block out the sun. She hadn't seen that sun in over three days. It felt amazing to have the sun on her skin again. She smiled slightly as she walked outside. Sakura than noticed that she was actually in some sort of training grounds for the Akatsuki. Her smile fell immedaitly.

She saw that Kisame and Deidara were not far from them argueing with eachother. But the moment they felt Itachi, they straightened and turned towards them.

Itachi then let go of her arm. She had completely forgotten he even had a hold of it. She then watched as Itachi walked up to Kisame and Deidara and spoke to them in hushed whispers. She watched with interest as Itachi seemed to command the area. Kisame and Deidara listened attentively. Itachi then glanced at her. Thier eyes connected and she felt such a strong electricity, that she almost gasped. She had never seen a man with such magnifying eyes before. She immediatly looked away almost ashamed of having ever even looked him in the eye, he was a Uchiha. She knew better than to look them in the eye. If he had noticed he didn't say. Instead he came towards her oblivious to her discomfort.

"Show us what your Hokage has taught you." Itachi spoke. She looked at him questioningly but understood when she felt Kisame coming near her.

Itachi walked behind her as Kisame stalked towards her. "This is payback kid" He said with a wide grin. Sakura stiffened. Her eyes wide with shock.

_'Great'_ Sakura thought as she composed herself and took a fighting could feel Itachi watching from behind her and she actually wanted to give Kisame a hell of a fight. Not that she wanted Itachi's praise but so that Itachi would learn not to underestimate her. She then noted with a sense of relief that Kisame had no sword to drain her chakra. She felt like maybe she had a bit of a chance now. And then suddenly Kisame attacked.

* * *

Sakura breathed heavily. She held her arm tightly. It was broken. Kisame had snuck up on her at one point and almost ripped her whole arm off but Itachi had called out to him to remember that this was just a test of abillities, thoroughly stopping Kisame. Sakura didn't like the fact that she had been saved by Itachi but had taken the chance to kick Kisame in the stomach. And felt much pride in breaking three ribs.

Kisame breathed a bit hard as well now. He had trouble keeping up with the koniochi. She was very fast, a whole lot faster than the last time they fought and he supposed that meant she was healing well... And her monsterous strength made her almost on par with him, He thought reluctantly. He had learned quickly not to get in close range combat with her. One touch and it could be the end for him. He then glanced at Itachi. The bastard seemed to be eyeing him. He could tell that Itachi wanted this to be over with. They had already realized her capabillities long ago and Kisame was now just blowing off steam. Kisame knew the koniochi would never submit and he didn't have the patience to wait for her to pass out and even if he tried he would proberly get so frustrated that he'd actually start to hurt her and he knew Itachi would not be happy with that. So he thought about taking one for the team. He grumbled under his breath. He hated giving up....

He sighed and raised his hand up.

"Tie" He spoke. Relief swept over Sakura.

"Thank God" She said as she fell to the ground, landing on her bottom. She immedaitly placed her hand on her arm and started to heal it. Deidara walked up to Kisame who was now leaning against a rock wiping the sweat off his brow.

"She is pretty good, Yeah" Deidara spoke softly so that she wouldn't hear.

"She knows how to handle her chakra, I'll give ya that." Kisame said as he glanced at his leg with a grim look. His leg had been wounded severly by the koniochi's monsterous strength.

After Sakura finished healing her own wounds she noticed Kisame breathing hard from across the field. She knew that he must be having a hard time breathing with all the ribs she had broken and he wouldn't be walking right till his leg had proper healing. She felt a bit of regret. '_Damn this soft heart of mine!' _She thought as she stood up slowly, wiped the dirt off her knees and walked up to Kisame. He looked up at her with a glare when she was a foot away. "You know I can heal that if you want" She spoke pointing to his leg. Kisame studied her.

"How do I know you won't try to kill me?" He said suspiciously. She sighed and placed her hand on her hip.

"You don't. But if I were to kill you I wouldn't try to do it in front of them-" She pointed towards Deidara and Itachi. -"just so they could kill me afterwords." She said as she frowned at him. She wasn't going to enjoy this anymore than he was. She just wished she could get it over with.  
"Well?" She asked losing her patience. She almost started to tap her foot but wisely held back. These weren't Konoha nin. They didn't have morals or rules to follow. If she pushed thier buttons too much they wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Kisame felt his gut telling him that she wouldn't harm him. And his gut was always right. So he shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"Fine do what you want" Kisame said trying to sound nonchalant. Sakura almost smiled. He sounded so much like the other egoist male shinobi at her village. They would never say they were actually in pain because of thier pride. She realized that it was the same with Kisame. He would never lower himself to asking for help. She shook her head slightly.

Sakura kneeled in front of him and slowly placed her hand on his knee. He stiffened a bit at the contact but Sakura ignored it for she was already in her medic mode. Nothing bothered her when she was healing someone.

She healed it slowly. And noticed how easily his chakra took to her own. She knew though that for someone with a chakra eating sword he must be used to having unknown chakra inside of him all the time. As his leg wound healed up she then placed her other hand on his shoulder and moved her chakra down towards his ribs. She placed them back together slowly and felt Kisame shake slightly. She knew how awful it felt to have bones meshed back together with chakra. It was a painfully slow process.

As she got close to finishing up she could feel the other two Akatsuki watching her. It felt eerie to have them watching so intently but pushed it aside. When she was done she pulled back her hands immediatly and stood up. Kisame looked on at her with a look that almost made her think he admired her but brushed the thought away.

"Your going to have a bit of tension in that leg for a while and your ribs aren't completely healed, I just put them together. You need to rest for a few days and if you don't it could cause severe damage to your lungs and eating abillity." She spoke with command. Kisame grinned toothily at her. "Well it seems you are handy! Hey Itachi! I think we got a keeper" Kisame joked as he yelled towards Itachi. Sakura thought it strange that he was so easily amused and had the audacity to tease Itachi like that. He didn't seem to be as afraid of Itachi as everyone else was. Sakura wondered why. Itachi completely ignored the sharkman and walked right up to Sakura. She composed herself and looked at him steeley.

"Lets go." He spoke as he turned around and walked inside, not bothering to see if she was coming. Sakura followed, knowing if she didn't he'd just drag her back anyways, but still lagged behind him as they walked through the corridors.

He led her back to her room and opened the door for her. Sakura felt it was strange for him to do such a gentlemen act but ignored it because she knew well of the Uchiha strict and chauvinistic rules and realized it was proberly only out of habit.

She walked in and turned to looked at him. He did not proceed to walk in and meerly stared at her. She felt like the silence would go on forever until his voice broke the quiet.

"Tomorrow you will fight Deidara" He spoke with such authority Sakura didn't even bother defying.

"You really want me dead, don't you?" She asked as she all but fell onto the bed out of exhaustion. She looked at the ceiling tiredly.

He smirked slightly at seeing the young koniochi so ungaurded. "Rest. Your dinner will be here shortly" He spoke softly as he shut the door and left.

Sakura sighed and folded her arms over her eyes and breathed slowly. She let her mind wash over everything that had happened that day.

Her thoughts were focused mainly on Itachi and the Akatsuki.

_'I don't understand why they are doing this. Shouldn't they be torturing me for information or dragging me around and making me heal enemy shinobi? And why are they being so nice...well not nice but they are letting me live and they are treating me like I'm one of them. OH, and what is with their leader? _... _I thought he was gonna kill me but he let me live. I don't know what to think anymore.' _She thought to herself.

She groaned '_I have a headache'_

She closed her eyes and listened to the silence. The quiet calmed her nerves and lulled her into a light sleep. She slept for hours until she heard quick footsteps come towards the outside of her door. She sat up quickly and was greeted by Machi walking in. She was smiling brighter than Sakura had ever seen. Her deep brown eyes shone brightly. Sakura smiled back at her.

"Guess what!" Machi spoke as she sat on the floor next to Sakura.

Sakura eyed Machi. She seemed to be overflowing with joy. Sakura's smile grew wider and replied.

"What?

"Thier letting my sister go!" Machi exclaimed. Sakura tilted her head slightly.

"Your sister?" Sakura asked.

Machi's smile slipped. "Oh I geuss I never told you. When I was fifteen and my sister was twelve they took us after they killed my family." Machi explained softly.

"Machi I'm so sorry" Sakura said as she touched Machi's hand.

"Its ok. But now thier are finally letting her go! I'm so happy!" Machi said happily as she grabbed onto Sakura's hand and held it tightly.

Sakura smiled.

"Congratulations!" She spoke as she hugged her.

"Im glad...but what about you?" Sakura said as she slowly pulled away. Machi sighed.

"I don't know... I don't think they will ever let me go... but at least my sister is getting away" Machi said as she tried to look happy, but Sakura wasn't fooled. She knew a fake smiles from miles away....after all she always had one on. But Sakura decided not to press her.

"When is she leaving?" Sakura asked.

"Tomorrow night." Machi spoke.

"So whats her name?"

"OH! Her name is Keiko and she has beautiful long brown her. Her eyes her sea blue and..."

Sakura and Machi talked all through the night.

Sakura felt so happy to see Machi so alive and excited.

But noone knew the dangers of what the morning would bring.

* * *

Sakura woke up to something shaking her. Her chakra flared ready to attack the fool who sought to wake her. She opened her eyes to see Itachi staring down at her. He was leaning over her trying to wake her up. His hair was disheveled and he was wearing civillian clothes. He seemed to have also just woken up. It was strange to see a disorganized Itachi....it almost made him seem human.

She tensed. "Why are you here?" She grounded out. She had never felt so vunerable. He had been able to come in her room so easily. She hadn't even noticed his chakra. And that scared her.

He gazed at her. He held her arms down tightly so she couldn't attack him.

"There is an intruder." He spoke calmly.

A bit of hope entered Sakura. _'Maybe its a rescue mission' _She thought. She didn't know that her thoughts were apperent on her face and that Itachi immediatly knew what she was thinking or she wouldn't have thought such a thing.

"An intruder?" Sakura asked trying not to sound too happy about. Itachi smirked all too knowingly and released her arms as he stood up and towered over her.

"Orochimaru has come. It seems he found out our leader has left and he decided to pay us a visit." Itachi explained as he walked towards the door. Sakura's hope was quickly snuffed out.

Sakura then heard yelling and loud noises coming from outside her room she her winced when she heard a loud explosion. Itachi didn't even seem fazed.

"But why? Does he really think he alone can stand up against the Akatsuki." She asked as she sat up on her bed.

"He's not alone" Itachi spoke.

Her eyes widened when she realized what he meant.

"Kabuto and...Sasuke are with him." She hesitated.

"Correct" He said with apathy.

She gripped the bed tightly as she looked down at her knees.

The explosions continoued as they stayed in silence.

Itachi broke the silence first.  
"We need as many shinobi as we can. Kisame, Deidara, and I are the only ones here. We need you to fight with us." She looked up at him and glared.

"No. I'm not helping the Akatsuki." She spoke as she gritted her teeth. '_Let Sasuke kill you for all I care. It'll be easier for me to escape then.'_

"So you will let that girl die then?" He asked. Her eyes widened in confusion.

"What girl?" She asked

"The servant who brings you food." He spoke as he smirked.

_'Machi' _Her heart skipped.

"What have you done to Machi?!" She shouted as she stood and came towards him.

"Nothing. But she is out there and last I saw they were killing everyone in thier path" He said as he looked at he with a bored expression.

_'No! I can't let someone else die!' _

Itachi could see the fear and worry on her face. He knew he had won. Sakura slowed her racing heart and fisted her hands. She looked up at Itachi.

"I'll fight"

He watched her. Sakura stared into his eyes without fear. His face which is always apathetic seemed to express something that Sakura couldn't explain. He looked like he was almost regretting what he said....but he quickly composed himself and turned towards the door.

"Lets go"

They both ran quickly down the dark hallways. The screaming and noises were getting louder and Sakura clenched her fist.

_'Please don't let me be too late'_

Sakura then felt a strong, familar chakra as they neared the door to the outside. Itachi opened the door quickly and stepped outside with Sakura right behind him.

Sakura peered over his shoulder and saw blood everywhere. Bodies of weak shinobi and servants lay dead.

Kabuto fought Deidara as Orochmaru was fighting Kisame. Both seemed to be having trouble and were deeply wounded. Sasuke stood impassively away from the battle. Like he was far away from everyone else. But the minute Itachi made his presence known Sasuke flinched and looked at him. He didn't even seem to notice Sakura.

Sakura watched as Sasuke and Itachi's eyes met. The tension could have been cut with a knife. She knew that this battle was what Sasuke had been waiting for all his life. She almost felt a little excited to see this fight. She shivered with anticapation

She could see the anger boiling inside of Sasuke. Itachi walked closer to Sasuke impassively as if he didn't know all the damage he had caused Sasuke. He was as apathetic as always.

"Today is the day you die." Sasuke said as he took his fighting stance. Itachi just stood there. Not even ecknowledging Sasuke's existance. This angered Sasuke so much that he lost all patience and flew at Itachi.

And so they began.

A scream echoed throughout the area. Sakura flinched.

"AHHHHH!!!!"  
Sakura turned only to see that the scream had erupted from Machi. She was hundled on the grass sobbing uncontrollebly and she was shaking a body in her arms. Sakura looked closer and saw that the body was a girl and she looked exactly like Machi.

'_Machi's sister'_

Machi kept screaming and screaming and then Sakura realized that she was too close to Sasuke and Itachi's battle but she wasn't the only one who noticed. Sasuke suddenly appeared in front of Machi.

"Be quiet." He spoke as he raised his sword.

'NO!' Sakura pulled a kunia out of her holster and pushed chakra into her feet. She ran so fast that you would think she was flying.

Sasuke lunged his sword at the girl but was stopped when a kunia hit the sword. Sakura had made it in time. She quickly pushed back his sword so hard that he had to take a few steps back to balance himself.

His eyes widened, he seemed to realize who she was. He raised his sword at her.  
"Sakura" His voice quivered but not one emotion slipped onto his face. He was as unreadable as ever.

Sakura glared at him as she still held her kunia at him.

Machi looked up at Sakura mournfully.

"Sakura-san?"

"Machi get out of here" Sakura said while still looking at Sasuke. She wasn't about to let her guard down in front of him. She knew exactly what he was capable of.

"But Saku-"

"JUST GO!" Sakura shouted. Machi quickly stood letting go of her sister's body and ran towards the door to go inside. When Machi was finally out of site Sakura relaxed slightly.

Sasuke smirked and gave her a all too knowing look.

"Still the same" He spoke.

"Same goes for you" She spoke as she pushed chakra into her kunia. She knew how unpredictable Sasuke was. So she was gonna be ready for him.

"Why are you here?" He asked but didn't really sound like he cared at all. Like he was just filling his curiousity

She stayed quiet. She wasn't about to tell the traitor anything.

Suddenly a kunia flew towards Sasuke he easily dodged it but it grazed Sakura's cheek. Blood trickled down her cheek as she glared at Kabuto.

"Need I remind you why we are here, Sasuke-kun" He sneered

Sasuke turned away from Sakura.

_'You still can't kill me can you, Sasuke?'_

Sakura smirked she knew all too well Sasuke's weakness against her.

"We will finish this later." He spoke before he charged at Itachi. Sakura looked past Sasuke and saw Itachi staring at her but all too quickly he looked away and focused on his battle with Sasuke. She didn't know what to make of it so instead she ignored it and promised to later analyze it.

Kabuto walked towards her. Sakura flinched realizing he was near and pushed chakra into her hands. She turned quickly to her left where Kabuto stood only a few feet away.

"I've always wanted to fight the apprentice of the hokage." He spoke.

Sakura readied herself. She glared defiantly at him.

Kabuto threw a kunia which she easily caught. As she caught it she glanced at Machi. She was huddled up against a wall. Deidara it seemed had joined Kisame in fighting Orochimaru.

"Pay attention!" Kabuto yelled as he hit her in the stomach. Sakura staggered backwords. She felt his chakra hit her organs. She knew how Kabuto fought but had never had to endure it. But thankfully Sakura had figured out how to heal herself while fighting. So she was in no danger at the moment but she knew she couldn't take many of those hits.

She wiped the sweat off her brow and ran towards him. She threw both of the kunia in her hands at him which he caught but as he caught it Sakura kicked him in the gut. Her chakra had broken about three of his ribs. He backed away. He breathed hard. But slowly his wound healed.

He smirked at her.

"Don't you know, Sakura-can? I'm invincible! Nothing can kill me" He spoke.

Sakura gritted her teeth. She had known about this but hadn't expected it to work so quickly.

_'I have to find a way for him not to be able to heal himself.' _She thought as she gathered chakra in her fist. Kabuto smiled at her and spoke.

"So how have you been since you murdered-"

She punched him in the face before he could continue. He flew back and hit Orochimaru and they both hit a wall.

Sakura breathed heavily as she stood like a statue. Her fist still in the air and looking at where Kabuto used to be. '_That bastard.'_ She thought angrily.

Deidara and Kisame stared at Sakura with thier mouths hanging open. She caught them looking at her and quickly pulled herself together. She lowered her arm and walked up to them.

"Thank you Sakura-san, yeah" Deidara spoke with a look of slight astonishment.

Kisame justed nodded and looked away but Sakura caught the light glint in his eyes and knew she had impressed him. She felt slightly proud of herself.

She turned to look back her opponent only to see that Kabuto was gone.

_'Damn' _She mentally cursed.

"AHHH!!" She heard Machi scream and she turned to see Kabuto in front of her. He held the girl's hair tightly and had a kunia over her chest.

'_No' _Sakura thought as she ran towards Kabuto but it was too late.

His lunged his kunia into her heart as he let go of the poor girl. He smiled wickedly.

She ran past Kabuto completely ignoring him and kneeled in front of Machi. She put her hands over Machi's heart and started to heal her.

"Machi! Don't you dare do this!" She shouted even though she knew she was fighting a losing battle. Machi was dead the minute she hit the ground.

Sakura felt her eyes burn but she knew she couldn't cry. She didn't have anymore tears to shed.

Her hands slowly fell away from Machi's body. She was gone.

Sakura bent her face and wished she could cry. Machi deserved to be mourned. She wrapped her arms around her so tight that her nails pricked her skin and little droplets of blood fell down her arms.

"Are you sad, Sakura-chan? If you are I can help you. I can make the pain go away." Kabuto whispered into her ear from behind her. She gave him no reaction. She felt like she was faraway. As if she wasn't even alive anymore.

'_One more person has died in my arms.' _She thought bitterly.

"Let me take the pain away" Kabuto spoke as he slowly raised a kunia above her head. Sakura gritted her teeth and brought herself back down to this world.

"I'm such a fool." She whispered  
Kabuto tensed.

Suddenly Sakura and the kunia in his hand was gone. He felt cold metal against his throat. He felt her behind him. Sakura held the kunia tightly against his neck.

He felt it prick his skin and blood flowed freely down his neck.

He had underestimated her. He thought that by killing someone she loved he would have found her weakness. But instead he just made her even more detirmined to kill him because now she had nothing left to lose.

"Your death has been greatly overdue" She spoke in a harsh whisper right before she sliced his head clean off his splattered on Sakura's face as the body fell to the ground and the head rolled away.

She looked down at it blankly.

"Try to heal yourself now you bastard" She all but sneered. She dropped the kunia and turned to watch Itachi and Sasuke's fight.

She needed something to take her mind off what had just happened.

So as she watched them she couldn't tell who was stronger. They seemed to be the same.

She then looked back at the lifeless body of girl that had once been her friend.

'_If only he was here'_


	4. Death Of The Future Hokage

Sakura remembered the day he died.

She had just became an ANBU. He was soon going on his first mission as a ANBU captain.

Though Sakura would never have admitted it she was very proud of him.

He had worked so hard to for everyone to respect him. He had become on of the strongest shinobi in Konoha.

Tsunade had told Sakura that she would soon appoint him as the Hokage.

Sakura was so happy for him.

But that very same day Tsunade said that Sasuke came. He decided it was time to cut the bonds with her and Naruto.

They fought brutally. But Sasuke overpowered Naruto with his chidori.

Naruto was hurt badly and Sasuke was about to finish him off when the Kyuubi was let loose.

Sakura was horrified. Hundreds died trying to stop him. Sasuke was almost killed. But Sakura fought for him.

**/FLASHBACK/**

The Kyuubi was on a rampage. It was killing everyone in its path.

Sasuke had been knocked unconcious when he tried to fight the Kyuubi.

Sakura watched in horror as Naruto slowly lost all control.

Sakura clenched her fists. _'I can't lose him.' _She thought as she ran towards Naruto.

The Kyuubi saw her and hit her hard. She flew back and hit the ground.

She sat up slowly.

"He's too strong... I can't even get near Naruto without getting hit by the Kyuubi" She said to herself.

She stood.  
"I will save you Naruto"

She said as she ran at the Kyuubi again. But she was hit again. This time it almost knocked her unconcious. Blood dripped from her mouth as she breathed heavily.

She sat up and wiped the blood away.

She noticed the Kyuubi had turned its back on her.

She gathered chakra in her feet and readied herself.

"NOW!" She shouted as she ran towards Naruto.

This time she made it.

She wrapped her arms around Naruto's stomach.

"Please Naruto stop!!" She begged as tears fell from her eyes.

She felt him stiffen. She then felt his clawed hand on hers.  
"Sakura-chan" He whispered as the Kyuubi was slowly suppressed.

She held him tight until she was sure the Kyuubi was gone.

He went limp. Sakura laid him down gently.

He held her hand tightly. He opened his eyes and gazed at her.

Worry etched all over Sakura's face. He smiled.

"Sakura-chan..Thank you" He whispered.

Sakura caressed his cheek.

"Its ok...Everything is gonna be ok now." She whispered.

She saw Naruto's face sadden.

"Sakura-chan I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"I need you to promise me you'll do it no matter what" He said in a serious tone.

"Ok what it is?"

"You promise?"  
Sakura hesitated.

_'Why is he acting so strange?'_

"Yes." She spoke.

He pulled a kunia out from his pocket slowly. He placed it in her hand.

She looked at him confusion evident in her eyes. He placed his hand on hers.

"Kill me"

Sakura went into shock when she finally registered his words. She couldn't breathe. She could feel her heart beating fast.

'_NO! I can't!' _

"Sakura-chan?" He whispered.

She broke.

Tears fell rapidly. She grabbed his shirt and burried her head in his chest.

"NO!! I won't. I can't Naruto!! Please don't make me do this" She begged him. She felt his arms wrap around her.

"Shhhhh Sakura-chan its ok" He said trying to calm her.

"There has to be another way!" She cried

"Sakura-chan" He spoke in a commanding her to look at him.

She looked up slowly at him.

"You saw what happened. You saw how out of control I was. I couldn't stop. I even hurt you." He said with a pained expression.

"Its ok! I'm fine" She spoke.

"No...Sakura-chan you promised me you'd do this" He whispered.

"You tricked me" She whispered as she looked away.

He squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry...but it was the only way. Sakura-chan...I can't take it knowing I've hurt you and hundreds of others...I don't want to hurt anyone else...It hurts so much knowing what I've done. Please I don't want it to happen again." He begged.

Sakura was quite for a long time. She tighted her grip on the kunia.

She looked up at the dark sky.

"You know, You were gonna be named Hokage next week." She spoke softly.

His eyes widened but then he smiled sadly.

"You know, I think I always loved you, Sakura-chan. I don't think I ever stopped" He whispered.

Sakura smiled as she looked at him.

"I know"

He smiled back at her.

"Sakura your the only one that can do this. Your the only one I have left. I need you. Please" He spoke sadly. She nodded her head.

She dropped the kunia and placed her hand over his heart.

He raised an eyebrow.

"It will be quicker this way" She spoke as she released chakra into his heart.

He placed his hand over hers. "Thank you" He whispered.

She leaned down slowly. "Goodbye" She whispered as she kissed his forehead. He instantly went lifeless.

She raised her head and stared down at the body.

"I'll always remember you Naruto...future Hokage." She whispered.

She then hear footsteps approaching her. She turned to see Sasuke coming towards her.

He raised his sword at her. She glared at him.

"If your going to kill me now is the time" She spoke.

He looked past her and saw Naruto's body and her hand over his heart.

Something flickered in his eyes.

He looked at her with an emotion in his eyes Sakura couldn't figure out.

He turned and left.

Sakura smiled.

**/END OF FLASHBACK/**

It seemed Sasuke still couldn't kill her.

Why she would proberly never know.

But all she knew right now was that she truly didn't care if she died.

Everyone had left her.

Everyone was gone.

Everyone she ever loved was dead.

And now she was the only one left.

_'Tell me, whats the point of fighting if you have nothing to protect?'_

* * *

_THANX EVERYONE FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS!! Yes I klled Naruto...and he was proberly a little occ but I mean he's like 18 and so he had to be a little bit more mature. Well I'd like at least 10 reviews. I won't be updating for a while unless I atleast get that or close to it. SO if you like the story tell me! Please review!_


	5. I Did It For Him

ENJOY!!

**After all this has past.**

**I still will remain.**

**After I've cried my last.**

**They'll be beauty from pain.**

**Though it won't be today.**

**Someday I'll hope again. **

**And they'll be beauty from pain.**

**You will bring beauty from my pain.**

_Superchick-Beauty From Pain_

Sakura watched as Itachi and Sasuke fought brutally. Each hit they took only made them stronger. Sakura could tell they were enjoying themselves. They both had a smirk plastered on thier faces.

She glanced at Deidara and Kisame. They were fairing well it seemed. But she could tell that they had both been badly injured by Orochimaru by the way they attacked him. Orochimaru didn't look good. His blood was all over the place.

She then felt a large chakra.

She quickly turned back to Sasuke and Itachi.

Sasuke was holding his sword out towards Itachi. She could feel the chakra surounding the sword. Itachi stood there calmly.  
Sakura watched in awe as Sasuke lunged his sword at Itachi. It was so fast that she barely saw it. But Itachi stepped slightly, dodging it. But the sword had hit him. But just barely.

Itachi suddenly grabbed Sasuke's sword. Sasuke was too shocked too move. The sword hit his shoulder. Sasuke yelled in agony and fell to the ground holding his shoulder tightly trying to calm the pain. Sasuke breathed heavily and glared at Itachi.

Itachi walked towards him so that he was looming over him.  
It was evident that Itachi was the winner.

Itachi pulled a kunia out from his pouch.

Sakura watched as he raised it above Sasuke.

Sakura realizid then that Sasuke was gonna die and when she realized that Naruto's voice spoke.

_**"Sakura-chan lets make a promise" "Ok what?" "That no matter what we will always be there for Sasuke. If he ever needs our help we will be there. So do you promise Sakura-chan?" **_

She gritted her teeth.

"I should have never made such a promise." She mumbled.

Itachi lunged the kunia at Sasuke but stopped when Sakura appeared in front of him.  
"Move." He commanded.

"This is the only thing I will ever ask of you...Don't kill him." She spoke.

"This is none of your business"

"I know that..."

They stared at eachother for a long time.

Sakura looked down at the ground.

"Let him go and I'll do whatever you want."

Itachi smirked. "Very well."

He then left her and walked inside.

She turned to see Sasuke standing and looking at her.

"I don't need you help" He spoke

"Gratefull as ever I see." She said.

He walked closer to her.  
"Why? Why did you do that? I thought you hated me" He said.

"I do hate you. But I made a promise to very special person that I would protect you no matter what. And I don't break my promises...I did it for him" She said with a sad look as she watched the sky.

"Naruto" He said in realization.

"Yes... " She said as she turned away from him and walked a few feet away. She looked over her shoulder.

"You realy should get that wound checked out before it gets infected." She said referring to the huge gash in his shoulder.

"Sakura" He spoke.

Sakura was surprised he said her name. It always made her shudder when he said it and Sakura hated that. She hated the fact that he would always have some affect on her no matter what she did. There would always be that twelve year old little girl so in love with him.

"Yes?" She said not looking at him.

"It wasn't you fault"

Her eyes widened.

She turned fast but he was already gone.  
His words hit her heart.

She fell to her knees and for the first time in two years, she cried.

She cried for Machi. She cried for Rain. She cried for Naruto. She even cried for Sasuke.

But most of all she cried for herself. She let go of everything inside of her.

Rain starting to fall and she looked to the sky.

Tiny rain drops hit her face.

'_Your annoying' _His voice echoed in her head,

She looked to where Sasuke had once stood.

"You always knew just what to say to make me cry."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

YA! Another chap! Its pretty short but well im realy tired so I didnt write much. Well thanx all for the reviews! Ya'll are freaking Awesome!!! So ya'll know the more reviews I get the faster I update. So LOTS OF REVIEWS EQUALS NEW CHAPTER!


	6. Suddenly

**She feels lost in her own life. **

**Treadin water just to keep from slipping under. **

**And She wonders if she's where she's suppose to be. **

**Tired of trying to do it right.**

**Her dreams are just to far away to see how her she's taking might be taking her to who she'll be.**

_Superchick-Suddenly_

Sakura awoke slowly. Her vision was blurry but she could tell something wasn't right. She rubbed her eyes with her arm. She looked around the room.

_'Where am I?'_

She noticed that this room was much larger then hers and she was sleeping on a bed. She then saw light shine in and looked to th side of her to see a window.

She got out of the bed and walked towards it. She looked out the window and gazed at the sun.  
_'How did I get here?_ _The last thing I remember is crying...and then everything went black. Did sombody carry me in here?' _She thought to herself.

Itachi walked in the room. She glanced over her shoulder to look at him.

"So your awake" He spoke as he sat down on a chair.

She looked back out the window and ignored him. He noticed this and smirked.

"Remember our deal, Kunoichi?" He spoke as he leaned against his chair.

Sakura knew he had that cocky smirk plastered on his face. He proberly thought he had beaten her. That he had won. But that wasn't so. Sakura would never lose. She has a will of iron.

"Kunoichi you seem to be very quiet today. Why are you being so silent? Does it have to do with that servent girl?" He spoke not realy sounding like he actually cared.

Sakura winced when he said her dead friend's name.

_'Machi'_ She thought as her face saddened.

"Or does it have to do with my little brother? Tell me, Why were you so detirmined to save him? Was it because he was once your comrade?"

She turned and looked at him quickly.

_'How doe he know that I was on a team with him?' _She thought.

He continound. "Or was it because of something else. Something like emotions for my little brother?"

Sakura suddenly appeared in front of him and slapped him hard. He nearly fell out of his seat because of the chakra that had been inserted in her hand.

She breathed heavily as her eyes darkened and she looked down at him.

"Shutup! How dare you talk about me like you know me. I'm sick of you, you psychotic bastard! I don't care what deal I made with you I will not ever and I mean ever help you! You kill. You are merciless. You know nothing of honor and you know nothing of emotions. My emotions streghen me. Because of them I can do the impossible. But you are so hollow and blank that all you know is to kill. Thats all you Akatsuki can do! And will you stop with the kunoichi! My name is SAKURA! Sa-Ku-Ra!!" She shouted at him.

He looked up at her slowly. Blood dripped from his mouth. He wiped it away with his sleeve.

"Verywell...Sa-Ku-Ra" Sakura shuddered when he said her name.

"You will be staying here with me because of your little outburst. You will also never act like that ever again if you want to live" He continound

"Bite me" And just as soon as those words left her lips she found herself up against a wall with Itachi looming over her. His hand held a tight grip on her neck. He leaned towards her.

"Do you think that I will not kill you? Do you realy think that I actually care about what you want...Sakura?" He whispered in her ear.

"Then kill me. If you don't care then kill me. I'm more trouble alive then dead. If you give me a kunia I'll even do it myself." She spoke with a hoarse voice.

He pulled away and looked at her.

"Just the other day you wanted to live. What has changed your mind?" He asked.  
Sakura looked up at him and was suprised.

He actually looked liked he remotely cared for her.

She stared into his black orbs.

They reminded her of Sasuke. But not th Sasuke she knew. The Sasuke who was a cold killer and had left her on a bench for Orochimaru. The Sasuke who had tried to kill her and Naruto a thousand times. The Sasuke that she hated.

"I have nothing to live for, nothing to look foward to. Whats the point of living if I have nothing to do with my life?" She asked.

He released his hold on her neck and stepped away. He looked towards the window.

"If you figure out an answer to that one tell me." He spoke.

Sakura's eyes widened.

_'Does he actaully understand?' _

She then noticed blood on the floor. It trailed to Itachi. She saw blood coming throught his clothes.

"How long have I been out?" She asked in her medic voice.

"Half a day." He spoke as he looked at her.

"Any longer and you'll die from blood loss." She spoke.

His face showed surprise but he then composed himself.

"Your point?"  
"Do you want me to help you or not?" She asked slightly irritated.

He walked over to the bed and laid down.

"Do what you want" He spoke as he closed his eyes.

Sakura was surprised he was letting his gaurd down so easily. She didn't think he'd be this laid back. Of course she didn't know why she wanted to heal him either. Something stirred in her when she saw his blood on the floor. She wanted to say it was just the medic in her but something told her otherwise.

She sighed and pulled the chair next to the bed.

She then noticed that Itachi didn't even have his robe on.

She saw that the wound was on his abdomen.

She slowly pulled his shirt up. She winced when she saw the gash.

'_How can he possibly still be moving?' _

She traced the wound with her fingertips.

'_I need some achohal and bandages.' _

She looked around the room. She then saw a small medical kit at the end of the bed. She walked over to it and opened it.

'_Well it'll do'_

She pulled out some bandages and sat back down on the chair.

She set the badages next to him and placed her hands on his wound.

'_Ok here we go'_

She starting pouring her chakra into him. She saw him wince. She smiled.

'_So even the great Uchiha Itachi feels pain'_

**Fifteen minutes later**

Sakura breathed heavily. She barely had any chakra left. The wound was almost healed she just needed to finish it up. Sakura's vision then started to get blurry. She could barely see. She rubbed her eyes with her arm.

'_Not now'_

She cool feel herself growing weaker and weaker. She was almost completely drained. She fought to keep her eyes open. She was just about finished. But before she coud bandage him up she blacked out.

**One day later**

Sakura groggily opened her eyes. She felt like she was in heaven. She felt so warm and comfortable that she could have stayed asleep forever. But her body would not rest. She sighed irritedly and sat up. She noticed that she was still in Itachi's room and she also had his robe on top of her.  
Her eyes widen.

'_Did he put this on me so I wouldn't be cold??' _She thought in shock.

She sighed and shook her head.

'_NO. Itachi doesn't care about anybody.'_

She then touched her cheek.She noticed the wound Kabuto gave her on her cheek had a small bandaid on it. She looked back down at the robe.

_'I think'_

**And suddenly it isn't what it use to be. **

**And after all this time it worked out just fine.**

**And suddenly I am where I'm suppose to be.**

**And after all the tears I was suppose to be here.**

_Superchick-Suddenly_

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

_WOOOHOOO! 10 chapters!! YAY! Im sooooo happy. Ahh yes I put a little Ita/Sak in there. Im so happy that sakura finally got to slap him. For the next chaps thier will be a lot more Ita/Sak. Please review! _


	7. Author's Note

Hey you guys!! OK so Im sorta having a bit of a writers block. Plus I'm SICK WITH THE FLU!! BAH!!! I feel horrible!! But I just wanted to tell you guys that if you have any ideas for the next chaps tell me. It will be greatly appreciated!! I need some serious ideas seriously : ) Im completely drained! Oh! So ya'll know I'm thinking bout adding more Sasuke in it. I can't realy decide which couple I want...Sas/Sak or Ita/Sak. So tell me which couple ya'll like better cause it could go either way with me. I love Itachi and Sasuke both. So everyone give me some ideas and tell me which couple you'd rather have. It will realy help me get the story going. Thanx! Ok I feel realy sick...GOTTA GO!


	8. Peaches

**Chemical eats  
Best part of the peach  
You're always the way you are  
What of that going to close you in  
You got a gaping hole in your head  
I'd let the birds nest there instead  
**

Sakura woke up slowly.

'_Its been a week' _She thought as she opened her eyes. She sat up and noticed that Itachi was staring at her.

'_This has to be the millionth time he's done that' _

She just stared at him. She noticed his robe was off. All he had on was just a thin black shirt and pants. His shirt hung loosely on him. She could see his muscles. If he had been any other man Sakura would have drooled. But Sakura knew better then that. She knew if she showed any weakness to Itachi he would use it to get whatever he wanted from her.

He smirked at her.

"Whats wrong Kuniochi?" He asked in a slightly amused voice.

'_Kuniochi...I hate it when he calls me that' _She thought as she glared at him.

He crossed his arms and walked towards her. She stayed still and just watched him.

Once he was right in front of her he stopped. He tossed her an Akatsuki robe.

She caught it easily. She looked down at it and then looked back up at him.

"Your to wear that from now on." He spoke.

Sakura clenched her fists.

"No." She said as she glared at him.

He stared down at her waiting for her explanation.

"I won't! I will not betray Konoha" She spoke.

"Your loyalty has gotten old. Do you realy believe the people there would protect you? Would they would die for you? Do you think they would do the same for you?" He spoke as he sat on a chair.

She looked at the robe.

"No. They wouldn't. But they are all I have left. I must protect Konoha. Its all I have left.." She spoke.  
"Your very foolish." He said.

"Ya mabey I am. I always was the foolish one. I always cling to promises that will never be kept. I always wish for a happy ending even though I know it will never happen and I alway talk big but I can never back it up.I've always been the one to be protected. I'm the weak one. I know that. But even if I am foolish...I will never give up. I learned that from him." She spoke as her face saddened.

"Interesting point of view. But tell me... You have killed Sasori. You fought through all of the guards with a half dead girl on your back**(Ya'll will get that part of the story soon)**, You then killed another one of our members. And you even faced our leader. Konoha calls that weak? You'd be better off with the Akatsuki." He spoke.

Sakura was surprised by the way he gave her a compliment. '_I don't understand this guy. One minute he calls you an idiot and the next he praises you on how strong you are. ARGH!' _

She looked into his dark orbs. "So why did you kill them?" She blurted out.

"Why do you wish to know?" He asked.

"No reason. I just want to know why. As a medic I have my theorys but since your here I thought I could finally know."

He raised an eyebrow. "What is your theory?" He asked.

Sakura was caught off gaurd by the question but she composed herself.

"Well either you have some sort of mental illness and it made you go insane or because you were pushed so hard when you were a child that you grew to hate your family so you killed them all in order to save Sasuke from becoming what they made you into... The latter I realy doubt."

Itachi chuckled.

Sakura looked up at him in surprise.

"I killed them. Thats it. And on a whim I left Sasuke alive. Thats just it. Nothing else nothing more." Itachi said.

"So you just woke up one morning and thought 'Hey I think I'm gonna kill my entire clan' I can't believe that." She spoke.

"Believe what you want to believe. I could realy careless." He spoke as he stood and walked towards the door.

Sakura watched him. He stopped right in front of the door.

"He'll be coming back. It seems Orochimaru has found something of value here. I can only assume its you. I'm sure he wants revenge on you for killing Kabuto." He spoke as he just stared at the door.

"You realy think they'll come back?" She asked.

"He'll proberly want you to heal his arms. He is desperate. He'll try anything. So be on your gaurd." He spoke before he left.

Sakura let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

She got off the bed and noticed there were a set of clothes on the desk. She walked over to it. They seemed to be a woman's clothes. They were all black exempt for one top. It was dark green. She picked it up and a pair of black baggy capris. She changed into them quickly not knowing if Itachi would be back or not. The clothes fit her perfectly. The dark green top was cut short so it showed a bit of her belly butten and the sleeves cut of at her arms. The baggy capris hung low on her waist and they tied to her calves _**(Sorta like Tenten's capris)**_ She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth out the tangles. Once it was smooth she tore a piece of her old shirt off. She then tied her hair up in a ponytail.

She smiled. "Now I feel a little better." She said to herself.

She walked back to the bed and picked up the Akatsuki robe. She smelled something. "Peaches...It smells like peaches!" She laughed as she remembered the last time she smelled that fragrance.

**/FLASHBACK/**

Sakura walked down the streets of Konoha quickly. She was going to the hospital. Tsunade had called on her and told her she needed to make a quick checkup on someone before Sakura's next ANBU mission. It was in 2 days. Sakura opened the hospital door. There she was greeted by Rain.  
"Sakura-san! I'm glad your here!" Rain said as she walked towards her.

"Yes its good to see you Rain." Sakura said with a smile as she put on her medic coat. Rain smiled and held out her clipboard to Sakura. Sakura took it with a smile and looked through Rain's check-ups.

"So I'm assuming everything is going well here?" Sakura asked.

"Yes...well except for the fact that Hyuuga-san won't let any of the medics heal him." Rain said.

"Yes I heard he wasn't following orders. Actaully thats why I'm here. Tsunade sent me to talk to him." Sakura spoke while she was still reading Rain's reports.

"Weren't you on his last mission?" Rain asked.

Sakura finished reading and looked up at Rain.

"Are you ready for your first ANBU mission?." Sakura said trying to change the subject. Rain noticed this and decided not to press any further.

"No! I'm terrified! You and I both know that I'm not fit for ANBU missions. I don't know why the Hokage asked me, I mean you'll be there. You're the head medic. I just became a jounin!" Rain spoke.

Sakura smiled. "I know. But we need you just in case I have to fight. I'm thier back up. So if anything goes wrong you'll be there to heal us. Tsunade is just being cautious. Don't worry. It'll be a piece of cake." Sakura said as she handed Rain her clipboard back.

"I geuss your right. Well the bright side is that I'll be with you and Dirksy." She said with a slight blush on her face.

Sakura shook her head. "That guy is so slow. Why won't he just admit he likes you is beyond me... He is so oblivious!" Sakura said with a grin.

Rain blushed deep crimson. "Uh...well...don't you have to see Hyuuga-san?" Rain stuttered tryng to change the subject.

Sakura smiled knowing Rain felt akward.

"Yes I geuss I should go" She spoke.

"Good luck. That guy won't even let any of the medics come near him. The Hokage even tried." Rain said.

Sakura sighed.

"Wonderful" She said sarcasticly as she walked away from Rain.

"Are you sure you know what your doing? He won't talk to anyone!" Rain called out to Sakura's retreating figure.

"He'll listen to me.I know what he's going through" Sakura said to her while still walking.

Sakura opened the door.She saw Neji looking out the window from his bed. She walked in silently. Neji didn't even glance at her

"Go away." Neji said

"Neji-san...you need to let the medics tend your wounds" She spoke. She noticed he glanced at her.

"No"

Sakura walked towards him.

"If you aren't healed you'll die."

"Then let me die"

Sakura stepped back. Her eyes widened. She was surprised by the Hyuuga's suicidel attitude.

"Neji-san...you shouldn't say things like-" "Tell me Sakura-san, Did you ever fully recover when he died?" Neji interuppted.

Sakura looked down at the ground.

"No and I proberly never will."

"Then you must understand. She's gone...I failed her" Neji spoke sadly as he looked down at his hands.

"Do you realy think Tenten would have wanted you to do this to yourself?" Sakura asked. Neji winced when Sakura said his once comrade's name.

"I don't care. It should've been me...I would've been me...if she hadn't protected me." He spoke.

Sakura understood completely. It had happened on thier mission three days ago.

She had been on the mission. She was back up for Neji's team. It had been a fairly easy mission until a poisonious dart was aimed at Neji. It was in his blind spot so he didn't notice. Tenten jumped in front of him sheilding him from the dart. By the time Sakura arrived Tenten was already dead. Neji didn't take it well. He shouted at Sakura it was her fault that Tenten died. Sakura knew he was just lashing out but it had still hurt her.

"I geuss your mad at me" Neji said suddenly.

"Mad?"

"I blamed you for her death. I know now that it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry" He spoke sadly as he looked up at her.

Sakura smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. He tensed under her touch.

"Don't give up.Yes you lost her...but work harder now. Learn from you mistakes so next time you'll be ready. She wouldn't want you to die. She saved your life for a reason. Don't make her death in vain. Your a Hyuuga for pete's sake. You never quit! Your stubborn, arrogent-"

"Are you trying to cheer me up cause its not-"  
"Your NEJI! Your the best ANBU captain Konoha has to offer. Ya sure sometimes you can be an ass but you have your good points" Sakura exclaimed.

Neji chuckled at the medic's way of cheering someone up. He placed his hand on her's.

"You talk too much...but thankyou." Neji spoke softly.

Sakura smiled. She pulled her hand away and spoke.

"Alright well you have to let the nurses fix you wounds ok?" She spoke.

"Fine"

"And I've noticed you've lost a bit of weight so eat lots of vegetables and fruits" Sakura said.

"Alright"

"Seriously. EAT!"

He smirked.  
"Yes yes..."

"Ok well I'll see you when I get back Neji-san." She said as she walked towards the door.

He looked up at her.

"Where are you going?"  
"You know I can't tell you that" She said with a grin.

"ANBU" He spoke. She opened the door.

"Yep ok gotta go. Don't forget your fruit!" She shouted as she ran out.

His mouth tugged upwards slightly. "How annoying"

**  
Two days later.**

Sakura ran out of her apartment quickly.

Today was the day she had to leave for her mission and she was late. She held her mask tightly as she neared the bridge. She then noticed someone leaning against the bridge. As she got closer she saw who it was.  
"Neji-san?" She asked as she stopped a few feet away from him. He looked up at her and smirked. His gaze noticed the mask in her hand.  
"Your leaving?" He asked.

"Yes."  
He pushed himself off of the bridge and walked past her. Once he was a good few feet away he stopped.

"Sakura-san" He spoke

She turned and looked at him. He was smirking at her.  
"Be careful" He spoke as he tossed something at her. She caught it and looked at it.

'_A peach?_'

She looked up at him.

"Remember to eat your fruits." He spoke with a smirk.

'_Did he just make a joke!?' _She thought as he turned and started to leave.

She smiled. "Thank you Neji-san!" She called out.

He raised his hand above his head.  
"Just don't go and get yourself killed" He said. Sakura's face softened as she watched him leave. Sakura looked down at the peach and placed it in her pack. She turned back towards the Konoha gates. '_Geuss I better go' _She thought as she placed her mask on and ran towards the gates.

**/END OF FLASHBACK/**

**A gun in your pocket  
And hair in a locket  
Around your neck  
From the girl you once loved  
Where is she now, you've gone crazy**

_Blur-Peach_

* * *

_It took me forever to write this cuz I was so sick. But because of all ya'll reviews and encouragement I pulled through. Ya I put a little bit of Neji/Sak. I coudn't help myself. Their my favorite couple. So ya'll know the couple will be Ita/Sak but that doesn't mean you've seen the last of Sasuke. I am definatly putting more of him in the story. So thanx everyone for the support and please keep the reviews coming! They realy make me happy!! So thanx everyone!!_


	9. Runaway

**Runaway, runaway  
Breathe this in  
The water's wait, water's wait  
Wide awake, wide awake  
Breathe this in  
The water's wait, water's wait  
Asking if you are Erased, everything within you will feel  
Erased now**

_"__**Sakura"**_

Sakura groaned.

She burrowed herself deeper into the warmth of the blanket.

**"**_**Wake up Sakura"**_

"No...I don't want to" She whined in her sleep.

_**"Sakura"**_

She grumbled.  
"Go away" She muttered.

_**"Wake up, Sakura"**_

"SHUT UP!" She shouted as she jolted up. She looked around the room for the owner of the voice but found none.  
'_What was that? I was sure there was someone there.' _She thought to herself.

She looked out the window. It was still night. It looked to be three AM. She rubbed her eyes. She suddenly got a chill. Cold air blew on. She noticed the window was open. She got off the bed and walked towards it.

**"Sakura, run"**

She stopped. She looked around but found no one.

'_I think I'm going crazy' _She thought to herself.

Suddenly there was a loud crash. Sakura turned quickly. The noise seemed to have come from outside her room. She slowly walked towards her door and pressed her ear to it.

"I don't care! The girl is our best chance. If we don't use her now it'll be too late! She is the perfect bait!" A deep voice shouted.

"Yes but she might not want to do this." Another voice spoke.

"THEN MAKE HER. She isn't a guest Itachi. She is a prisoner. You shouldn't give her options. If I didn't know any better I'd think you're going soft Itachi" The deeper voice spoke again.

'_Itachi? I can only assume they are talking about me. But what am I bait for?' _Sakura thought to herself as she continued to listen.

"I can assure that isn't the case. But she is smart. She'll figure out what were planning and once she finds out she will find a way out of it. Even if it means killing herself." Itachi spoke.

"You sound so sure Itachi. You've know this girl barely over a week. How can you be so sure that she will find out?"

"She will. The girl is very stubborn. It will be hard to get anything out of her." Itachi said.

"Then if she is of no use to us why do we still have her here?" The deeper voice spoke.

Sakura tensed waiting for Itachi's answer.

'_Please have a reason' _She thought.

"I don't know"

Sakura backed away from the door in shock.

'_They're gonna kill me.'_

She walked towards the bed.

'_I have to get out of here.'_

She looked around franticly for a way out. She looked out the window.

'_Alright.'_

She climbed out the window. And landed gracefully on the ground. She stayed low to the ground and scanned the area.

_'No one's around.' _

She stood slowly. When she was sure there was no one she gathered chakra in her feet.

'_I gotta get to Konoha'_

And with that thought she ran into the forest. She ran faster than she had ever run before.

Sakura breathed heavily. She stopped and placed her hand against a tree to hold herself up. She looked to the sky. The sun was rising. She looked behind her.

'_Still no Akatsuki'_

She had traveled long and far. She knew she was at least 50 miles away by now. She had used up most of her chakra. She could barely move her legs out of exhaustion. She looked ahead.

"No quitting now Sakura. You've made it this far without dying. You can make it another day." She told herself.

She started to run again but stopped when she heard that voice again.

_**"Hide, Sakura" **_

She looked around.

'_That's it I'm officially insane.' _She thought to herself.

But she then felt a strong chakra. She tensed. She could feel it coming closer.

**"**_**Hide Sakura" **_

She turned quickly to see the owner of the strong chakra. He smirked at her evilly. She shuddered.  
"Hello, Sakura-chan"

She glared at him and clenched her fist.

"Hello Orochimaru." She spoke in pure hate.

He grinned.

"I am surprised to see you. Aren't you supposed to be with the Akatsuki?" He asked sadistically.

She gritted her teeth.

"Well I am surprised also. Why are you so close to their base, Orochimaru? And alone no less. I wonder what you're planning." She spoke.

He walked closer to her.

"I'll tell you if you heal my arms." He spoke.

"Actually I don't think I care that much anymore." Sakura spoke.

She turned to leave but he appeared in front of her.

"You don't have a choice." He spoke.

Sakura could feel the fear rising inside of her. But quickly pushed it away.

"I will never help you. Go ahead and kill me. I won't betray my village." She spoke confidently.

He smirked

"Who said anything about killing you?"

She tensed. Her eyes widened. She grabbed his shirt quickly and shook him violently.

"What have you done? Who did you take!!" She shouted at him.

"Calm down, Sakura-chan. I haven't done anything." He spoke.

Relief swept over her.

"But that doesn't mean I won't" He spoke.

She glared daggers at him.

"I'll kill you then" She spoke as she drew chakra in her fist.

He just stood there grinning madly at her.

'_I feel like something's wrong' _She thought.

**"Turn around Sakura"**

'_That voice again'_ She thought.

She dismissed the voice and raised her chakra filled fist and stared at Orochimaru.

"This is where you die." She said as she lunged at him.

"You didn't even sense me did you?" A voice spoke.

She stopped and turned quickly but it was too late. She had already been hit. As she fell to the ground in pain she saw Orochimaru smiling at her. Slowly everything started going black. Her vision blurred. She fell to the ground hard. She could feel the pain but she couldn't tell where it was from. Exhausting and fatigue took hold of her. The last thing she remembered was a voice.

**"Don't give in, Sakura"  
**She soon fell unconscious.

**Who am I?  
Now Who am I?  
I will fade**

_Contact-Falling Up_

* * *

Ya another chap! And I'd to dedicate this chappie to my new beta!!! YA! Thanx everyone please keep sending in those reviews! 


	10. We Might As Well Be Strangers

**I don't know your face no more  
It's just a place I'm looking for  
I don't know your thoughts these days  
We're strangers in an empty space  
I don't understand your heart  
It's easier to be apart**

_"Run!!"  
_

_"__We have to save him!"  
_

_"There's too many!"  
_

_"I have to help him!! DIRSKY!!"  
_

_"Rain don't do it!!...COME BACK!!!"_

* * *

Sakura sat up quickly.She rubbed her head.

'_A bad memory' _

She then took in her surroundings. It was a rather dark room. It was very cold and small. She sighed.

"Great now I'm a hostage again...I just keep getting into more trouble." She spoke to herself.

She stood but fell quickly to her knees. Her hands fell to the floor to hold herself up. She felt so weak. She chuckled.

"I guess Orochimaru isn't taking any chances. He completely drained all of my chakra."

Then the door opened. She looked up to see Orochimaru. He grinned at her.

"I see you're awake. You were pretty tired. You've been out for 2 days."

Sakura sat back on her legs and looked up at him.

"Ya, well maybe if you hadn't completely drained me of all my chakra I would've woken up sooner." She spoke with a glare.

His grin grew wider.

"Because of your perfect chakra control all you would need is little bit of chakra to break through this room. So I drained you. I can't have you getting away, now can I?"  
"You've done your homework" Sakura spoke.

"Why of course. You are the Hokage's apprentice. You've killed many. You even killed my poor Kabuto."

Sakura clenched her fist.

"That bastard deserved it!" She yelled.

He licked his lips.

"Yes he what he did was very foolish. Seems he still thought of you as that little twelve year old girl crying over Sasu-"  
"Shut up. I know who I was. I don't need you to remind me." She interrupted.

"Seems you don't like remembering those wonderful Genin days...I wonder why?" He spoke sarcastically.

"Why am I here Orochimaru?" She spoke with a sigh.

"Aren't you impatient? Well you did kill my medic...So you are will take his place." He spoke.

She looked up at him.

"No"

"I figured you'd say something like that. Well then I'll just have to see if he'll change your mind." Orochimaru said as he walked towards the door.

"Who?"

"Sasuke-kun of course" Orochimaru said.

He opened the door and Sasuke walked in.  
Sakura's eyes widened.

Sasuke walked in slowly. He stared blankly at her.

"I think I'll let you two catch up." Orochimaru spoke as he left.

Sasuke stared down at Sakura with the same old stoic looking face he showed when they were younger.

Sakura sighed.

"So you're supposed to change my mind?" She asked as she looked down at her knees.

"He wants me to torture you. He thinks if I do it it'll break you." Sasuke said bluntly.

Sakura's eyes grew larger. But pushed back the surprise and smiled.

"He's really desperate isn't he??" She asked

"Yes he is."

Silence engulfed them.

Minutes passed and they never said a word.

Sakura then looked up at him.

"You knocked me out didn't you?"

"Yes"

Silence.

"So you gonna do it?" She asked suddenly.

Something very vague flickered through Sasuke's eyes.

"You aren't her anymore" He spoke.

"I'm not who anymore?" She asked slightly surprised.

He ignored her and unsheathed his sword.

"He wants you to heal his arms." Sasuke spoke as he pointed his sword at her.

"His arms are dead there is nothing I ca-"  
"We know you can. There is no point in lying." He spoke.

Sakura sighed.

"I'm still not gonna help you." She spoke.

"I know"

"Then why the hell am I still here?" She asked, her impatience getting the better of her.

**"Sakura, Dodge" **

Sakura looked around.

'_That voice again... bu-'_

Sasuke's sword lunged into her stomach.

"AH!" she screamed in agony as he slowly pushed it in deeper.  
"Heal his arms or I'll kill you."

"You should know by now how stubborn I am." She spoke as she shut her eyes tightly trying to block out the pain.

"Sakura." He spoke softly.

She looked up at him quickly. He was looking down at his hand that held his sword.

"Why did you kill him?" He spoke.

Sakura's eyes widened.

_'Naruto...'_

**"Answer him Sakura." **

_'Who are you!?' _

**'Answer him'**

_'But'_

**'You're the only one'**

Sakura looked down at the sword that was inside of her. Her face saddened. She placed her hand on the sword.

"He asked me to" She spoke softly not looking at Sasuke.

"Why?"

"He didn't want to hurt anyone anymore..."

"So just because he asked you, you did it? You just killed him." He said.

Anger boiled inside of her.

"It wasn't like that!" She said loudly.

She calmed herself and looked to the side of her, hiding her face from him.

"I didn't want to...If I could've I would've taken his place. But...he was so sad... he made me promise...I couldn't deny him...I couldn't" She muttered as a small tear rolled down her cheek.

Sasuke then pulled his sword out of her suddenly causing her to yell in pain. She coughed up blood as she fell on the ground. He walked towards the door.

"That's all I wanted to know."

And he left.

**"You did it, Sakura."**

Sakura lay on the ground as blood poured out of her wound. She turned herself over so she was staring up at the ceiling. She stared at it blankly. She placed a hand on her wound.

* * *

_"Rain!!!"_

_"Sakura-san...I...I can't breathe...I feel so cold..."_

_"Rain don't talk... please don't leave me...your the only one left.!"_

_"You have to make it. Promise me you'll make it Sakura-san" _

_"Don't talk like that you're gonna be with me, right? You're gonna be fine."  
"Fight them Sakura. I know you can do it. I know you can win. You always were able to make the impossible possible...just like him."_

_"RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

* * *

"Nothing will ever be the same again."

**We might as well be strangers in another town  
We might as well be living in a different world  
We might as well, we might as well, we might as well be strangers.**

We Might As Well Be Strangers-Keane

Ok so ya its short but HEY! ya'll are lucky i even put a new chap up cuz ive been uber busy. My softball team is number one in the league so we have been playing games none stop. And the tournament is next week so everyone is trying to beat us... (We're undefeated) So i've been seriously busy with softball. Im gonna try to write another chap soon but idk it depends on how long the tournament is. UGH! Ya well i might be more motivated to write another chap if ya'll give me lots of reviews.Wink Wink Ok well thanx 4 readin!!!

**  
**


	11. Goodbye To You

**Of all the things I've believed in  
I just want to get it over with  
Tears form behind my eyes  
But I do not cry  
Counting the days that pass me by  
I've been searching deep down in my soul  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
Feels like I'm starting all over again  
The last three years were just pretend**

** I still get lost in your eyes  
And it seems that I can't live a day without you  
Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away  
To a place where I am blinded by the light But its not right**

"Heal my arms." He spoke.

"Everyday you tell me that and everyday I refuse...you'd think you'd learn by now." She spoke with her arms crossed as she sat indian style on the floor.

"Its been four days since you've had food or water. You'll give in eventually." He spoke as he licked his lips.

"I'll die the day I give in to you." She spoke not looking at him.

"Such a stubborn child, I thought after Sasuke-kun injured you, you would be more willing to help us...but I guess you are still unbreakable."

Sakura smirked.  
"Nothing can break me." She spoke confidently.

"We'll see about that." He spoke as he left.

Sakura eyed him suspiciously. Orochimaru had never left so soon before. He would always torture for a long time before leaving. Sakura knew he was planning something.

Sasuke then walked in.  
"It's been awhile." She spoke not looking at him.

He walked closer to her.

"Did Orochimaru send you?" She asked in a amused tone.

"No. I came on my own."

She looked up at him quickly.

"Why?"  
He leaned against the wall.

"Why were you with the Akatsuki?" He asked coldly.

Sakura looked away.

"It's none of your business." She spoke with as much coldness as he.

"You know damn well it is my business. Tell me" He spoke.

Sakura looked at her hands.

'_I don't want to talk about it...I don't want to remember.' _ She thought.

**"Answer him"**

_'NO! I won't'_

**"Sakura answ-"**

_'Shut up! Leave me alone. Please.'_

**"Sakura"**

_'Who are you?'_

**"Answer him"**

_'Who the hell are you!!!'_

**Tell him what happened."**

_'I can't... it hurts to remember...'_

**You must"**

Sakura opened her eyes. She hadn't even known they were closed. She looked up at Sasuke. He still stood there leaning against the wall waiting for her to answer him.

**"Tell him"**

She took a breath and spoke.

"It all started when I had an S-class mission three weeks ago. We were to find the Akatsuki base and find the scroll they stole from us. It was suppose to be just a 'Sneak in get it and get out' Type of mission...but as you can see that didn't happen."

* * *

_**/Flashback/**_

"_Alright Dirsky is ready"_

Sakura picked up the walkie talkie.

"Ok so are we. We'll be there in five minutes" She spoke.

"_Alright, oh they're coming. I have to go. Hurry"_

"Hai. Shikamaru and Lee have already entered the base. We'll see you soon Jin" She then turned off the walkie talkie.

Sakura turned and looked at Rain.

"Ok let's get going. They need us." Sakura spoke.

"Hai" Rain spoke.

They both started to run.

When they got there they saw Dirsky standing in front of two Akatsuki.

They hid them selves in the trees.

Sakura glanced at Rain. Sakura could tell by her movements that she was worried. Sakura understood how she felt. She smiled softly and looked back down at Dirsky.

"You! What village are you from?" One of the Akatsuki asked.

Dirsky didn't move.  
"Does it really matter?" Dirksy attacked.

Rain quickly grabbed onto Sakura's arm.

Sakura watched as Dirsky fought the two Akatsuki. He was brilliant. He understood the situation and knew the risks. He knew exactly what kind of attacks to do. He was mostly on the defensive. He was just trying to buy time for Shikamaru and Lee. Sakura watched in awe as he dodged every attack with great speed and countered them catching the Akatsuki off guard. He was a worthy opponent. Sakura smiled slightly. But then saw other shinobi coming towards Dirsky.

'Damn. He can't take all of them' She thought.

Four other shinobi surrounded him. Dirksy stood calmly and watched. Jin then appeared in front of him.  
"We'll attack together." Jin spoke so softly Sakura almost didn't hear it.

Rain squeezed Sakura's arm tighter. Sakura ignored it and continued to watch.

Dirsky and Jin attacked with perfect timing. They killed most of the shinobi except for the two Akatsuki that were still there.

Jin and Dirsky breathed heavily. They were worn out.

Sakura gritted her teeth.

'_They barely have any chakra left. If they use any more they'll die'_

The Akatsuki attacked. Jin and Dirsky stayed on the defensive. They were fighting well for not having any chakra left.

"Sakura-san they'll die if this keeps on" Rain whispered.

Sakura ignored her again. She was too focused on the battle in front of her. Suddenly another Akatsuki appeared and attacked Jin from behind cutting his head right off his body.

Sakura winced in horror. She could feel Rain trembling from behind her. Rain's grip on her arm was so tight that it was numb.  
Dirksy backed away from the three Akatsuki in shock. The Akatsuki ran at him in amazing speed.

Sakura glanced at Rain.

"Get out of here Rain"

Rain took off her mask and looked at her in surprise.

"What?" She asked

"Get away. You have to get out of here and meet up with Shikamaru and Lee." Sakura spoke calmly.

"No! I can't leave you and Dirsky to fight alone." Rain spoke.

"You and I both know your not fit for these kind of battles. Your a medic and thats it. The only reason you were even put on this team was because your a medic. You have no strength whatsoever in the battle field. You're completely useless if your not healing." Sakura spoke coldly.

Rain's eyes widened. Tears fell from her eyes.

"Sakura-san, why?" She asked.

"Don't you get it? If you stay you'll only be in our way. So GET GOING!" Sakura said harshly.

Suddenly they heard a painful yell. It echoed through out the whole forest. Sakura turned quickly and saw Dirsky impaled by a huge katana. His mask hit the ground . Blood was everywhere. He was breathing painfully. He fell to the ground half-dead.

Rain's eyes widened.

"Dirsky!!!" Rain shouted giving away there position.

Sakura saw the Akatsuki coming towards them.

"DAMN!" She shouted.  
Tears fell from Rain's eyes as she stood.

Sakura turned and looked at her.

"RUN!!!" Sakura shouted at her.

Rain looked up at her.

"We have to save him!" She spoke as she stared down at the Akatsuki.

"There's too many!" Sakura spoke as she grabbed Rain's wrist trying to pull her back down.

Rain pulled away.

"I have to save him! DIRSKY!!!" She yelled as she ran at the Akatsuki.

"Rain don't do it! COME BACK!!!" Sakura begged

Rain attacked the Akatsuki blindly. She was no match for there strength and speed yet she kept on. Sakura watched in horror as the hit her mercilessly.

_' She has given away everything. I have to keep going with the mission. I can't intervene_.' She thought.

Then Rain was hit hard and she fell to the ground next to Dirsky. The three Akatsuki surrounded her. Rain crawled towards Dirsky. She placed her hand on his cheek. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Rain" He whispered.

"It's ok Dirsky. Don't talk." She spoke with a sad smile.

Dirsky noticed the Akatsuki surrounding them.

"Rain you have to get out of here." He spoke.

She gripped his uniform.

"No. I can't leave you. Not like this." She whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

Dirsky placed his hand on her head and pulled it down so she rested on his shoulder.  
"You know I love you right?" He whispered with a sad smile.

"Ya. I know." She choked back a sob.

"Good. I am too much of a coward to tell you in person."

Rain sat up and looked down at him. He also sat up.

"Dirsky...I..." She muttered as she stared at him.

"Dirsky I lo-" She was cut off by Dirsky's piercing cry. For one split second there eyes met as he started to fall. His eyes showed so much pain and sadness. But in that split second he smiled. He smiled at her and when fell into her arms he was already dead. Dirsky's blood splattered on Rain's face. Rain stared in horror as her love was impaled in the heart. The kunai had hit its mark.. His blood washed over her hands. She shook violently.

'_RAIN! Oh god no. This can't be happening. Not like this.'_ Sakura thought.

Suddenly one of the Akatsuki appeared in front of Rain. Rain didn't even notice. She was too shocked to notice.

The Akatsuki chuckled. He quickly slashed his kunai straight down her back. Rain screamed in agony at the sudden pain. She fell on top of Dirsky's body breathing heavily. The Akatsuki was about to deliver the finishing blow when Sakura appeared behind him. He kunia was instantly imbedded in his back. He fell to the ground lifeless. Sakura turned and glared at the other Akatsuki. The smirked and walked closer.

"What a small shinobi you are" One of them spoke to the other.

"It seems this little shinobi killed one of our comrades... I wonder what punishment we should give the shinobi?" The other spoke.

Sakura clenched her fist.

"I'm sure we'll think of something." They grinned evilly as they're eyes roamed over her body.

"Sakura-san" Rain whispered.

Sakura glanced at Rain. She was still lying there. Her eyes were so blank. It seemed she was dead. But she wasn't. She looked like she had lost her reason to live.  
Sakura looked back at the Akatsuki.

'_One masters in genjutsu. The other is good in ninjutsu. I can't take them both on. If I didn't have to protect Rain I could kill them both easily. My only choice is to run.' _ She thought to herself.  
The Akatsuki suddenly attacked. Sakura dodged and jumped in the air quickly.  
"Running away won't save you." One of the Akatsuki spoke.  
Sakura gathered chakra in her fist. Just as she landed she smashed the ground with her chakra filled hand. The Akatsuki were caught off guard. Sakura raced to Rain quickly. She picked Rain up and placed Rain on her back.

"Please Rain hold onto me" Sakura whispered. Rain's arms instantly circled Sakura's neck and locked her hands together.

"Thank you. Hold tight." Sakura spoke as she started to run.

Sakura ran blindly. She had couldn't figure out which way to go. The Akatsuki were close behind her. She knew if she stopped for just a second then she'd be dead. She felt weak. She knew Rain didn't have long. But Sakura kept running. Then she saw a village. As she got closer she realized it was the Akatsuki base. She panicked. She glanced behind her and saw the Akatsuki were right on her tale. She had no way of turning around. She gritted her teeth.

'_I won't let you die, Rain.'_

"Sakura-san."

Sakura glanced up at Rain.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to-" Rain whimpered

Sakura smiled."Its ok! It was just a mistake"

'_A stupid mistake' _Sakura thought to herself

"Sakura-san...you can't keep running with me on you. You'll get too weak. Put me down" Rain whispered

Sakura gripped Rain's legs tight.

"No way!"Then suddenly five kunai flew at her from behind.  
'_Shit!' _Sakura mentally cursed

She dodged them quickly but was hit on her ankle. She started to fall.

'_NO! I won't be beaten. Not yet!!' _

She placed her hand on the ground and pushed off of it to catch her balance. She then realized she was in the Akatsuki base. Shinobi noticed her and ran towards her. The Akatsuki behind her caught up and walked closer. Sakura watched as they circled her.

"ANBU" Someone spoke.

"Kill him" Another shinobi spoke.

Two shinobi charged her. Sakura prepared herself. She dodged them easily and kicked one in the face and knocked him into the other shinobi. She did this while she still had Rain on her back.

"Seems this little ANBU has some moves." The Akatsuki that had been chasing her spoke.

Sakura placed the now unconscious Rain down gently and pulled out a kunai.

'_I'll go down fighting.' _She thought to herself as she bravely prepared herself for battle.

"He's pretty brave." Another Akatsuki said.

The two Akatsuki that had been chasing her attacked. She dodged them quickly and lunged her kunai at one of them. It just grazed him. She jumped away from them and stood in front of the sleeping Rain. They attacked again. Sakura hit one of the Akatsuki in the heart, making him dead instantly. Sakura then attacked the other one.

"You die now!" She heard someone shout from behind her. She looked back quickly and saw a shinobi coming at her. She stared wide eyed. She had no way of dodging so she placed her arms above her head, closed her eyes and waited for her death. But it never came. She opened her eyes and saw Rain in front of her. Sakura's eyes widened when she saw the kunai imbedded in her chest.

"Rain!!!!!!!!!!" Sakura shouted. Rain began to fall but Sakura caught her quickly. Blood dripped from Rain's mouth.

_'This can't be happening' _Sakura thought.

She watched in horror as Rain's face grew paler and paler. Rain then slowly opened her eyes.

"Sakura-san...I...I can't breathe...I feel so cold..." Rain whispered as her life slowly slipped further and further away.

"Rain don't talk...please don't leave me...you're the only one left!" Sakura spoke hoarsely. Her face was so sad. sadder then Rain's but not one tear fell. Sakura couldn't cry. She hadn't been able too since he died.

Rain placed her hand on Sakura's mask.

"You have to make it. Promise me you'll make it Sakura-san" Rain spoke softly.

"Don't talk like that. You're gonna be with me, right? You're gonna be fine" Sakura said. Sakura wanted to believe everything was gonna be fine. She had said it to soothe Rain but in the end it was really for herself.

Rain smiled and small tears fell from her eyes.

As Rain neared her last breathe she spoke.

"Fight them Sakura. I know you can do it. I know you can win. You always made the impossible possible...just like him"

Rain went lifeless in Sakura's arms.

"RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sakura cried out.

'_NO!! Why, why HER!! It should've been me!!!!' _Sakura thought as she desperately shook Rain's body.

The shinobi that had attacked her came towards her.

"One down." He spoke.

Sakura looked up at him. Rain's voice boomed inside of her head.

_**"Fight them Sakura"**_

_'Fight them...fight them... fight them...fight them...' _Sakura thought over and over again.

Sakura pulled out her katana from behind her back. .

"Seems the ANBU wants to fight!" The shinobi spoke in a amused voice.

"I will get my revenge." Sakura spoke as she charged him. She fought harder then she ever had before. The shinobi was surprised by the young ANBU's speed and skill. He couldn't keep up. Sakura then kicked him in the rib cage. He hit the ground hard. Sakura loomed over him as he tried to get up. She raised her katana above him.

'_This is for Rain'_

And he was instantly dead.

His blood splattered onto her mask and clothes. Sakura smirked slightly.  
She then turned and scanned the campsite.

'_Three fatalities' _She thought as she looked at her dead teammate.

'_Two missing'_

She looked around but still couldn't find her teammates. Shinobi surrounded her. Sakura tightened her grip on her katana.

'_The mission has to be completed...even if I have to do it on my own'_

**/END OF FLASHBACK/**

* * *

"And then they captured me. Happy?" Sakura said sarcasticly.

"What do you know about Itachi?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing." She spoke.

"I don't believe you." Sasuke spoke.

"Believe what you want to believe. I don't care" She said.

Sasuke left.

Sakura sighed.

"That was interesting." She spoke to herself.

Orochimaru entered.

'_Oh great he's here'_

"Sasuke-kun said you have no more information and that you aren't going to heal my arms." Orochimaru spoke.

"Oh you just now figured that out??" Sakura asked sarcasticly.

But she was soon thrown against the wall by Orochumaru's tongue.  
Sakura glared at him.

"Its time for you to die Sakura-chan." He spoke sadisticly as he walked towards her. Sakura clenched her fist. Orochimaru made his tongue into a sword. (Ya'll know. He does it when he fights Tsunade. I don't know the name so SORRY!) He stabbed her in the shoulder. Sakura would've dodged but her chakra was all gone. She could barely move. She winced in pain as he pulled the sword/tongue out of her shoulder.

"Whats wrong Sakura-chan? What happened to that spirit?" He spoke.

Sakura watched as his sword launched at her again. She closed her eyes and waited for the end.

"**Are you giving up?"**

_'Who are you?'_

**"Its ok though. He'll be here soon."**

_'Who will be here?'_

**"Open your eyes and see."**

Sakura slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes widened.

"You!"

**Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto **

**And when the stars fall I will lie awake  
Your my shooting star**

_Goodbye To You-Michelle Branch_

* * *

_YA! Alright another chap. Because I made it to 100 reviews I decided to updated sooner. I realy happy with how this story is turning out. Everything is connecting well. I also just noticed that its sorta turning into a songfic. Cause lately every chap has a song...but I love music...without it I'd be dead proberly. And i seem to just keep finding the perfect songs to go with a chap. But I gotta say I never thought I'd reach 113 reviews. I didn't think ppl would like this story that much. But thank you all so much for the reviews! I wouldn't be here without ya'll!!_


	12. She Is

_WOW! 138 reviews! HOLY CRAP! I'm so very happy! O and srry it took so long. I have been busy with softball practice and tournament is tonight so I've been trying my hardest all week to finish this. And if I have enough time I'll do another chap today. _

_Well if **EnigmaticCrux** reads this I just want to say im srry i can't send you the chaps to beta. Because for some stupid reason I can't use yahoo. So that why I couldn't send this to you. But thanx for everything anyways. Once get my pc fixed I'll send the next chap to ya._

* * *

****

It's all up in the air and we stand still to see what comes down  
I don't know where it is, I don't know when, but I want you around  
When it falls into place with you and I, we go from if to when  
Your side and mine are both behind it's indication

"You!" Sakura spoke as she stared at Itachi. He stood in front of her blocking Orochimaru's sword with a kunia. Itachi glanced at her.

"You shouldn't be so rude to the person who just saved your life." He spoke.

Sakura gritted her teeth.

'_Why is he here? Did he come to save me? No he must have another reason.' _Sakura thought.

Orochimaru smirked and pulled away from Itachi.  
"So you have gone soft. I never thought Itachi would care for someone" Orochimaru spoke teasingly..

'_In CARE?? Yeah right. Itachi is proberly gonna save me so he can kill me himself.' _Sakura thought.

Itachi turned and looked at Sakura. His red gaze fell on her shoulder. Her wound was bleeding badly. Sakura looked up at him trying to figure out what he was thinking. He stared at her emotionlessly.

"You can have her. She is useless to me." Orochimaru spoke with a smirk as he eyed Sakura.

Sakura''s face saddend a bit when Orochimaru spoke.

'_Useless...'_. Sakura thought.

Itachi grabbed Sakura's arm.

"Come" He spoke as he ran out of the room with Sakura along with him. But as they ran Sakura glanced back and saw Orochimaru grinning at her.

'_What is he planning?' _She thought

Itachi led her outside and stopped. Sakura stared up at his back. He released her arm and turned to look at her. Sakura was surprised to see he had turned off his sharigan. She rarely saw his normal eyes.

"Why did you runaway? I thought you understood the rules." He spoke coldly.

Sakura gritted her teeth. Her eyes darkened.

"There is no way I'm gonna go back just so you can kill me" She spoke.

"Kill you?" He asked emotionlessly.

"I heard you talking. I know your gonna kill me. So there is no use hiding it." She spoke in a low voice.

"So you heard us. I can assume you didn't here the end of the conversation by the way you are acting. But tell me, If I wanted you dead do you think I would have come?" He spoke as he looked up at the sky.

"As sadistic as you are I wouldn't be surprised." She spoke.

Itachi smirked.

"You realy are very stubborn. It would be so much easier if you would just do as your told."

Sakura looked up at the sky.

"If I helped you and I did what I was told what would happen if I had nothing else to do? I would be useless...and you'd get rid of me." She spoke. When she spoke the word useless her face saddened. She looked back at him.

"You've thought about this I see. So you aren't going to do anything, which will also get you killed." He spoke.

"But at least I won't die a traitor." She spoke as she looked at the ground.

"Well I wasn't going to kill you." He spoke as he looked at her.

Sakura looked up at him surprised.

Itachi glanced at her wound.

"You should heal that" He spoke.

Sakura placed a hand on her shoulder. She suddenly felt very tired.

"Gomen. He completely drained me of chakra" Sakura whispered. She didn't know why she was apoligizing, he didn't deserve it.

Sakura then started to fall. But Itachi caught her. Sakura was surprised that he caught her and even more surprised when she felt his chakra running through her body. When Sakura felt she could finally stand he let go of her. She stood and placed her hand on her wound and began to heal it silently. Once she was done she looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you" She spoke softly.

He turned and started to walk away.

Sakura watched him.

'_Why can't he just say your welcome?_

"Lets go" He spoke.

Sakura ran up to him and started to walk alongside him.

Sakura didn't understand why she was giving in already. She knew she could fight him a little more. But after he had given her his chakra she didn't feel like causing him anymore trouble. She actaully felt bad. He gave a lot of chakra. Enough for her to keep walking for at least two days. She didn't understand why he was going through all this trouble for her.

They walked in silence. When it neared nightfall they stopped and made camp. Sakura sat down against a tree as Itachi surveyed the area. He the looked at her.

"I'll be back" He spoke.

Sakura was about to ask where he was going but he was already gone when she looked up.

She sighed.

"Always so aloof." She spoke to herself.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the tree. She stayed liked that for what seemed like hours when suddenly she felt a strong chakra near by.

'_I know that chakra' _She thought as she opened her eyes.

The chakra started getting closer. Sakura stood up and waited. The chakra was close, realy close.

"Come out!" She shouted.  
She heard footsteps coming from behind her. She tensed and clenched her fist.

'_He's strong.' _She thought.

"Sakura?" A deep voice spoke

She turned quickly. Her eyes widened.

"Neji?"

**This is going to bring me clarity  
This'll take the heart right out of me **

**This is going to break me clean in two  
This is going to bring me close to you **

_She Is-The Fray_


	13. Aftermath Of A Stupid Mistake

**_This song is the song that actally inspired me to write this fic so its like the theme song of my story. Enjoy! _**

**_

* * *

_**

**She sits in her corner  
Singing herself to sleep  
Wrapped in all of the promises  
That no one seems to keep  
She no longer cries to herself  
No tears left to wash away  
Just diaries of empty pages  
Feelings gone a stray  
But she will sing**

**Walking through life unnoticed  
Knowing that no one cares  
Too consumed in their masquerade  
No one sees her there  
And still she sings**

"Neji?" Sakura eyes widened as she looked at the silver eyed Hyuuga.

Neji's eyes widened also.

"I thought you were dead." He spoke as he came closer to her.

Sakura noticed he was in his ANBU uniform.

'_He must be on a mission' _

"Sakura, where have you been? We've searched everywhere for you." Neji spoke.

"I..." Sakura didn't want to tell him. She didn't want him to know about the Akatsuki. She was sure if he found out he would try to fight Itachi and even she knew Neji was no match for him.

"Sakura? Where have you been? Why haven't you com back? Everyone has been so worried about you." He spoke.  
"I...I just couldn't. After that mission...it realy messed me up. I needed some time." Sakura lied.

'_I have to get him out of here before Itachi returns.'_

Neji looked like he believed what she said and noticed the blood on her shirt.

"Whats happened? Its been two weeks. Why do you have blood on you?" He asked.

Sakura glanced down at her shirt.

'_Damn. I forgot about my wound...think Sakura...think." _

"Um well...I was helping this villager. His village had been attacked by some rogue ninja and they had been injured so I helped them out" She spoke.

"I see. I still can't believe you haven't come back yet. Even after her death." He spoke.

Sakura looked up at him.

"Who's death?"

"You didn't know? Lady Tsunade, The 5th Hokage has died."  
Sakura's eyes widened.

'_Tsunade...'_

She could feel the tears forming at her eyes.

"She died a week ago. Her dying wish...was for you, Sakura Haruno to be named the 6th Hokage. Thats why we have been searching for you." Neji spoke sadly.

'_The 6th Hokage?'_

"Why me?" She asked.

"She thought you were the best choice." He spoke.

"But how did she die?" Sakura asked.

"She died of old age. She died only regretting one thing."

"And what was that?" She asked.

"That she didn't get to see you before she died."

Sakura understood. Tsunade had been her adoptive mother since her own mother had been killed by some ninja that had invaded the village when Sakura was 14. Her father had died when she was a baby so after her mother was killed she was an orphan. But Tsunade being a caring sensei, took her in. Sakura grew to love Tsunade like a mother.

"I can't believe she died." Sakura whispered as a few tears fell from her eyes.

"Sakura are you alright?" Neji asked in a worried tone.

Sakura quickly wiped her eyes and smiled up at him.

"Ya! I geuss I am just sorta surprised." Sakura spoke hiding her sadness behind a smile.

"Kakashi has been looking for you none stop also. Ever since Shikamaru and Lee came back he's been out of the village looking for you. I don't think he can handle losing another teamate." Neji spoke.

'_Kakashi...you always were so protective of me' _Sakura thought as her face softened.

She then realized that Itachi could be back any minute.

"Neji you need to go." Sakura spoke in a frantic voice.

"Sakura whats wrong?" He asked noticing her change of expression.

"Neji please go."  
"You have to come with me. We need a Hokage!" He spoke.

Sakura looked over her shoulder making sure Itachi was near. She looked back at Neji.

"Ok look. I'll meet you right here tomorrow night. I need time to figure out if I want to take such an important job. So please go!" She spoke.

"Fine. I'll see you tomorrow then." He spoke slightly aggitated that Sakura was hiding something from him. As he began to walk away he stopped and looked back at Sakura.

"I don't know whats got you so spooked...but be careful...whatever mess you've gotten yourself into must be bad. So don't go and get yourself killed." He spoke before he left.

Sakura smiled at his retreating figure.

'_He never changes'_

She then felt Itachi's chakra coming at her. She turned quickly and saw him. When he finally reached her she noticed his sharigan was on.

'_Uh oh.'_

He glared at her.

"Who was here?" He spoke loudly.

Sakura shivered.

'_Dammit! He'll definatly kill Neji'_

He gripped her arm.

"Who was here!" He said even louder.

'_There is no use in lying to him...he'll figure it out..' _

"A Konoha ANBU saw me and spoke to me." She spoke the truth.

Itachi looked like he was surprised. He must not have expected her to tell him the truth so quickly.

"ANBU?" He asked.

"Yes...he asked where I had been and he told me of what has been happening in Konoha." She spoke. He released his death grip on her arm.

"What did you tell him?"

"I didn't say anything about Akatsuki. I just said I didn't want to go back." She spoke as she looked at the ground.

"And why didn't you say where you have been?" He asked.

"I figured he would try to fight you to save me. I don't want anyone else dying because of me." She spoke.

Itachi looked like he believed her and leaned against a tree.

"Something is on your mind." He spoke.

Sakura looked up at him surprised.

"I...well...Tsunade the 5th Hokage has passed away. The ANBU came to me saying her dying wish was for me to become the 6th Hokage..." She spoke sadly.

"Do you wish to be the 6th Hokage?" He asked.

She looked at him.

"It was her dying wish. Its not like I actually have a choice." She said.

"You always have a choice." He spoke emotionlessly.

Sakura sighed and sat down indian style.

"I don't want to be Hokage." She spoke.

"Then don't be"  
"Its not that easy though. All those villagers...they need someone who can lead them. They need someone they can depend on. They need me. I can't just abandon them." She spoke.

"But they have already abandoned you." He spoke.

She looked up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You were proclaimed dead last week." He spoke.

Sakura's eyes widened.

"They believe your dead. So what will you do? Will you go back to them or will you stay here with me?" He asked.

"You giving me a choice?" Sakura asked in shock.

"You always have a choice." He spoke as he stared into her.

'_If I go back...I'll forever be chained to Konoha. I'll never be able to leave. But if I go to the Akatsuki I'll be betraying my home village...'_

She looked into Itachi's eyes. His black orbs stared into her like he was trying to read her mind. She could see some kind of emotion in them but couldn't figure out what it was.The emotion seemed so vague yet so pleading. Like he wanted her to stay with him. Her heart ached when she saw the raw emotion. She knew she was starting to feel something for him. She could tell by the way she was telling him things. She just couldn't seem to lie to him. She was also giving into him so easily. She would have never done these things two years ago. But even if Itachi had been the cause of her problems...he had also been the one to heal them without her even knowing it. He gave her excitment in her life. He gave her courage and he gave her the will to live. Even if he was cold and uncaring. He had protected her. He had saved her when he could've just let her die. Sakura realized that she was starting to enjoy his company. She knew she didn't have to prove anything to him. She knew she didn't have to pretend to be strong or nice. Being herself came naturally around him. He brought out feelings from her that she didn't even know was there.

Sakura gazed into his eyes.

'_If I stay with him...I know I could become happy. But I would be a traitor to my country. If go to Konoha I'll be forever unhappy and never free but I would be saving my people.' _

**"Sakura be selfish."**

Sakura smiled softly as she heard that voice. It was so calming and smooth. That voice she knew. She cared deeply for the owner of that voice.

**"Sakura be happy" **

Sakura closed her eyes.

'_Be happy...It sounds nice'_

**"Stay with him"**

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at Itachi.  
He was standing right in front of her. She stood also and gazed into his black orbs.

'_Is this realy what I want?'_

**"Sakura you want this"**

She had made her decision and she didn't feel guilty. She didn't feel sad. It didn't matter that she had been the one to kill Naruto. It didn't matter that she wasn't able to save Sasuke. It didn't matter that she wasn't able to protect Machi. It didn't matter that her mission was a failure. Because if all of that hadn't happened she wouldn't be who she was today. If Rain hadn't let her feelings control her this woundn't have happened. If Rain hadn't been so much like Sakura she would still be alive. All of this had all happened because of Rain's mistake. This was all the aftermath of a stupid mistake. But because of Rain's stupid mistake Sakura had finally found out what she realy wanted. She finally undertood.

She smiled at Itachi

"I want to stay with you."

**Til everything burns  
While everyone screams  
Burning their lies  
Burning my dreams  
All of this hate  
And all of this pain  
I'll burn it all down  
As my anger reigns  
Til everything burns**

**Watching it all fade away**

_Everything Burns-Ben Moody Feat. Anastacia _

**

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	14. Sequel?

**Hey you guys...yes the story is over! Sorry I just want to end it. But If ya'll want I can write a sequel. I already have some great ideas. But it'll take some time. SO if ya'll want a sequel review and tell me.**

**Thank you all of you for reviewing and reading my fic. Ya'll are all so wonderful! I wouldn't have kept going if ya'll hadn't encouraged me so much! I love you guys!!! Thanx for everything!**


	15. A traitor's heart

**Ok so I am doing a sequel and its called "A Traitor's Heart" So everybody go check it out. I've only gotten the first chap up right now. Please review it!!! **


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